Glitter Dog

• Audrey Wood, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2022

It was early in the morning, clear, crisp blue skies and Clara was just waking from her bed. ‘What a beautiful day for a holiday,’ thought Clara as she gazed outside her bedroom window. Dreaming about all the wonderful things she would see and do, including dog walking with Milo and her sisters…which leads to an unexpected event!
“Come on Milo” says Clara. Milo dashed off towards an outdoor table where children are having a birthday party. He was quick to find and eat a tube of glitter, which all of a sudden turned Milo into a Glitter Dog! And gained superpower that sniffs out micro plastics!?
He became super excited, pulling very hard on the lead with Clara helplessly flying in the air behind him. “Slow down Milo!” yelled Clara. “What is going on? Why has he turned into a Glitter Dog?” asked Clara as she turned to look back at her sisters. Before they could stop him, Milo had pounced on a lady’s handbag. Barking with intent and pulling out a Palmolive cherry blossom hand sanitiser - with micro beads. “What is he communicating?” wondered Clara and her sisters. They handed it back to the owner, apologising sincerely. “Milo, you mustn’t go through people's handbags.” “Why micro plastics?” “Wait a second, he ate glitter which is made from micro plastics. So, maybe he is trying to say that he and the environment are in danger?”
Clara quickly Googles about microbeads. “The microbeads in some hand sanitisers, scrubs, shower gels and toothpastes are an avoidable part of this plastic pollution problem.”
At that moment, Clara’s mum comes into her room and says, “Clara, I have some exciting news. We are going on holiday! Pack your bags, cause we are leaving for the UK tomorrow morning.”
Clara smiled with excitement. “Yippy!” she said as she sprung out of bed.
I wonder if the holiday was to be anything like she dreamt of…?
“Arrrrr ooooo!”