Fireside Books: There’s exciting news for book lovers. Fireside Books in Parksville now has a second location in Port Alberni. The BookWyrm — used books are just $5 or less. The BookWyrm, on the corner of Redford and Anderson, opens seven days a week from 10 to 5, building your personal library for less. Fireside Books at 464 Island Highway East in Parksville is a book dragon’s dream come true. Browse their extensive collections seven days a week. Both locations make growing your personal library easier than ever. New and used books and so much more. Order online at firesidebooks.ca and pick up at either location. Details available online.

The Ballad of Peter & Gracie: Peter and his dog raced here and there, through fields so wide, with dreams in their pockets and stars as their guide. Every day’s an adventure under the open sky. In their world of stories, time just flies by.

Peter McCully: Peter stood in the driveway staring at his shiny red bike. His mum had taken the training wheels off yesterday, and now the bike looked much bigger and scarier than it did before. “What do you think, Gracie?” Peter asked his fluffy white American Eskimo dog, who sat beside him with her tail wagging. “Do you think I can do it?”

Gracie barked twice and did a little spin. That was her way of saying yes. Peter’s family lived in Coombs on beautiful Vancouver Island, in a neighbourhood perfect for bike riding. The morning sun was shining. It was a perfect day for learning something new. “Okay,” Peter said, taking a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.”

He climbed onto his bike and put his feet on the pedals. The bike wobbled immediately and Peter had to put his foot down to stop from tipping over. “Woof!” Gracie encouraged him, her dark eyes watching carefully. Peter tried again. This time he managed to pedal three times before the bike started wobbling too much. He put his foot down again, feeling frustrated. “This is harder than I thought,” Peter said with a sigh.

His mum came out of the house carrying a glass of water. “Remember what we talked about, sweetie?” she said. “Learning new things takes practise. You won’t be perfect right away, and that’s okay.” “But what if I fall?” Peter asked. “Then you’ll get back up,” Mum said with a smile. “That’s what brave people do. And you’re wearing your helmet and knee pads, so even if you do fall, you’ll be safe.”

Gracie trotted over to Peter and nuzzled his hand with her cold, wet nose. She looked up at him with such trust and love that Peter felt a little braver. “You’ll stay with me, right, Gracie?” Peter asked. “Woof,” Gracie agreed, wagging her tail so hard her whole backend wiggled.

Peter climbed back on the bike. This time he focused on looking ahead instead of down at the ground. He pushed off with his feet and started pedalling. One pedal, two pedals, three pedals, four. “I’m doing it!” Peter shouted. “I’m doing it!” Gracie ran alongside him, her white fur bouncing as she trotted. Her pink tongue hung out in a happy smile and she barked encouragingly. Peter made it all the way to the end of the driveway before he had to stop. His heart was pounding with excitement.

“Did you see that, Mum?” he called. “I certainly did!” Mum clapped her hands. “That was brilliant!” For the next hour, Peter practised riding up and down the driveway. Each time he went a little further. Gracie ran beside him every single time, never getting tired of watching him learn. Sometimes she ran on his left side, sometimes on his right, but she was always there keeping him company.

By lunchtime, Peter could ride all the way to the corner and back without stopping. He was so proud of himself that he felt like he might burst. “I think this calls for a celebration,” Mum said. “How about we go to Fireside Books in Parksville this afternoon and pick out a new story?” “Yes!” Peter cheered. Fireside Books was one of his favourite places in Parksville. They always had the best children’s books, and the people who worked there were so friendly.

After lunch and a visit to Fireside Books — where Peter picked up a book about a dog who went on adventures — Peter sat on the back porch with Gracie, thinking. “You know what, Gracie,” Peter said, stroking her soft fur. “Now that I can ride my bike, we could go on all sorts of adventures together.” Gracie’s ears perked up at the word adventure. She loved adventures. “But there’s one problem,” Peter continued. “Some adventures are pretty far away. You’re fast, Gracie, but I don’t think you could run all the way to the Goats on the Roof and back. Your paws would get tired.”

Peter thought hard about this problem. He wanted to take Gracie on long bike rides, but he didn’t want to make her run so far that she got too tired or her paws got sore. And then Peter remembered something in the garage. There was an old red wagon that he used to ride in when he was little. He hadn’t used it in years because he was too big for it now. “I’ve got an idea,” Peter said, jumping up. “Come on, Gracie!”

Peter ran to the garage with Gracie trotting behind him. He found the wagon pushed into the corner, covered with a dusty tarp. He pulled the tarp off and looked at the wagon carefully. It was perfect. The wagon had high sides, which would keep Gracie safe, and good wheels that rolled smoothly. There was just one problem. How could he attach it to his bike? “Mum! Dad!” Peter called. “Can you help me with something?”

His parents came to the garage and Peter explained his idea. “I want to attach the wagon to my bike so Gracie can ride in it. That way, if she ever gets tired on our adventures, she’ll have a place to rest. And if we want to go somewhere far away, she won’t have to run the whole time.” “That’s a very thoughtful idea,” Dad said, examining the wagon. “You’re thinking about Gracie’s needs, not just your own. That shows real empathy.” “What’s empathy?” Peter asked.

“It means understanding how someone else feels and caring about their wellbeing,” Mum explained. “You’re thinking about how Gracie might feel on a long journey, and you want to make sure she’s comfortable and safe. That’s being a very good friend.” Dad looked at the wagon and the bike thoughtfully. “I think we can make this work,” he said. “We’ll need to be very safe about it though. The wagon needs to be attached securely so it doesn’t come loose while you’re riding.”

Peter and his dad worked on the wagon attachment together. Dad found some strong metal brackets and bolts in his toolbox. Peter held the flashlight and handed Dad the tools he needed. Even Gracie helped by supervising from her spot in the corner, occasionally offering a woof of approval. They worked for over an hour, carefully attaching a metal arm from the wagon to a special bracket on the back of Peter’s bike. Dad made sure everything was tight and secure, testing it several times.

“There,” Dad said. “Let’s give it a try.” Peter put an old cushion in the wagon to make it comfortable, then lifted Gracie gently and placed her inside. She fit perfectly. She looked around from her new seat, her tail wagging with curiosity. “How do you like it, Gracie?” Peter asked. Gracie barked happily and settled down on the cushion, looking quite pleased with herself.

Peter climbed on his bike and Dad held the back to help him balance with the extra weight of the wagon. Slowly Peter started pedalling. It was definitely harder to ride with the wagon attached. The bike felt heavier and turned differently than before, but Peter had practised so much that morning that he was able to keep his balance. He rode carefully up and down the driveway while Mum and Dad watched. Gracie sat proudly in her wagon, enjoying the ride like a princess in a carriage. “This is amazing,” Peter said, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt. “And Gracie loves it!”

“Remember, you need to go slower when you’re pulling the wagon,” Dad said, “and always be careful around corners. The wagon makes your bike longer, so you need more space to turn.” “I will,” Peter promised. Over the next few days, Peter practised riding his bike with Gracie in the wagon. He got better and better. Sometimes Gracie would ride in the wagon the whole time, and sometimes she would run alongside Peter for a while before climbing back in when she was tired.

One sunny Saturday morning, Peter had an idea. “Mum, Dad,” he said at breakfast, “I think Gracie and I are ready for our first big adventure. Can we ride our bike to the general store?” The general store was about a kilometre away — much further than Peter had ever ridden before. Mum and Dad looked at each other. “That’s quite a long way,” Mum said. “I’ve been practising every day,” Peter said. “And I’ll be really careful. I promise I’ll follow all the bike safety rules.” “Well,” Dad said, “if you agree to let me ride my bike alongside you, I think it would be okay.” “Yes!” Peter cheered, and Gracie barked excitedly. She seemed to know something fun was about to happen.

After breakfast, Peter put on his helmet and knee pads. He made sure Gracie’s cushion was in the wagon and that his water bottle was in the bike’s holder. Dad got his bike out too, and they set off on their adventure. Peter rode carefully, remembering everything he had learned. He stopped at stop signs, watched for cars, and signalled when he was turning. Gracie sat happily in her wagon, her white fur ruffling in the breeze, watching the world go by.

As they rode through the neighbourhood, people smiled and waved at them. “Look at that clever setup!” one neighbour said. “What a lucky dog!” And Gracie seemed to agree. She held her head high and proud, clearly enjoying all the attention. When they reached a small hill, Peter had to pedal harder. The wagon made the bike heavier, but Peter was strong from all his practising. He made it up the hill without stopping, feeling very proud of himself. At the top, Peter paused to catch his breath. “How are you doing back there, Gracie?” he called. Gracie barked once, which meant she was having a wonderful time.

Finally, they arrived at the general store. Peter carefully parked his bike in the bike rack, making sure the wagon was in a safe spot. He helped Gracie out and she stretched her legs, happy to walk around after the ride. “We did it, Gracie!” Peter said, giving her a big hug. Inside the store, Peter and Gracie bought an ice cream sandwich and enjoyed it in the sun at the picnic table.

When they were done, Peter asked, “Do you want to run beside the bike on the way home, or ride in the wagon?” Gracie trotted over to the wagon and put her front paws on the edge, looking at Peter expectantly. “Wagon it is,” Peter laughed, helping her climb in. The ride home seemed easier — maybe because Peter knew the way now, or maybe because he felt so confident after making it all the way to the store. He chatted with Dad about all the places he and Gracie could explore together. When they got home, Mum was waiting in the driveway with a big smile. “How was your first big adventure?” she asked. “It was perfect,” Peter said. “Gracie and I are a great team. She can run when she wants to run and ride when she wants to rest. This way we can go anywhere together.”

That evening, as the sun was setting, Peter sat in the backyard with Gracie curled up beside him. He thought about how scared he had been when Mum first took the training wheels off his bike. He’d been worried that he might fall, or that he wouldn’t be able to learn. But he had kept trying, and now, just a few days later, he could ride all the way to the general store. He had even figured out a way to take his best friend with him on adventures, making sure she was safe and comfortable. “You know what I learned, Gracie?” Peter said, stroking her soft fur. “I learned that even when something seems scary or hard at first, if you keep practising and don’t give up, you can do amazing things. And it’s even better when you share your adventures with someone you love.” And that, Peter thought, was the best adventure of all.

The Ballad of Peter and Gracie: Peter and Gracie, the finest of friends, with tales of wonder that never end. In the pages of books or stars above, they find their magic in laughter and love.

Fireside Books: There’s exciting news for book lovers. Fireside Books in Parksville now has a second location in Port Alberni. The BookWyrm — used books are just $5 or less. The BookWyrm, on the corner of Redford and Anderson, opens seven days a week from 10 to 5, building your personal library for less. Fireside Books at 464 Island Highway East in Parksville is a book dragon’s dream come true. Browse their extensive collections seven days a week. Both locations make growing your personal library easier than ever. New and used books and so much more. Order online at firesidebooks.ca and pick up at either location. Details available online.