The Missing Hamster: A Puppy Kisses Story

It was the best weekend ever. Mr. Flock had chosen Jacob to take care of Nibbles, the class hamster.

“Your only job is to make sure he is safe and happy,” Mr. Flock had said, handing Jacob the cage.

Jacob was thrilled. He was a journalist, and this was a huge story! He planned to take pictures and write an article called “A Weekend with Nibbles.”

At home, Jacob carefully placed the cage on his desk. Nibbles was busy running on his wheel. Squeak, squeak, squeak.

“Time for your photo shoot, Nibbles!” Jacob said.

He opened the little door and let Nibbles crawl onto his desk. The hamster was adorable, with twitching whiskers and tiny paws. Jacob got his camera and started snapping pictures. Click! Click! Nibbles scurried around, sniffing books and pencils.

Then, the phone rang. It was his friend Zach, asking about a video game. Jacob turned to talk on the phone, completely forgetting about the open cage door. When he turned back, Nibbles was gone!

Jacob’s heart dropped. He looked all over the desk. He looked on the floor. He looked under his bed. Nibbles was nowhere to be found. A wave of panic washed over him. He had been given one job—to keep Nibbles safe—and he had failed.

He had to think like a journalist. What were the facts? Nibbles was small, quiet, and probably scared. He liked to hide in small places. Jacob got down on his paws and knees and began his search, looking in every cozy spot he could find.

He checked inside his sneakers. He peeked behind the bookshelf. He gently moved his pile of laundry. Finally, he saw it: a tiny trail of sunflower seed shells leading to his backpack.

Slowly, Jacob unzipped the front pocket. Curled up inside on a soft mitten was Nibbles, fast asleep.

Relief washed over Jacob. He gently scooped up the hamster and placed him back in his cage, making sure to latch the door securely. Click.

That night, Jacob wrote his article. It wasn’t just about how cute Nibbles was. It was about how being responsible was a very big job. It meant paying attention and always making sure things were safe, even when you were distracted.

When he returned Nibbles to Mr. Flock on Monday, he felt proud. He had made a mistake, but he had fixed it. He had learned that being responsible was the most important part of any story.

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