Paco

ebook

By Ana Mafalda Damião

cover image of Paco

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Paco is a gentle dog who's known nothing but neglect. Tied up in a yard with little water and harsh words, he makes a desperate bid for freedom one night—with help from a wily rat and the seagull Josefina. Once on the streets, Paco meets an eclectic pack of stray dogs, each with a heartbreaking past: Bull the gruff pit bull, Marinela the kindly female, and many others who band together for survival. Despite hunger, danger, and run-ins with the pound, the group finds unexpected kindness from a cat named Carola and learns to scavenge in the town's back alleys.

Everything changes for Paco when he meets Little Star, a cherished pet who's become lost, proving that some animals do experience warmth and love in their homes. Together, they form a deep bond that propels Paco to fight for a brighter future not only for themselves but for all stray animals around them. Their determination leads them to forge alliances with caring humans. Chief among them is Margarida, a compassionate girl who, upon discovering Paco and Little Star injured at the roadside, goes to extraordinary lengths to nurse them back to health.

Margarida's entire class rallies around the cause, raising awareness on social media and organizing adoption efforts to help the pack. Through the lens of these children's dedication, the town learns that spaying, neutering, and microchipping can end the cycle of abandonment. One by one, lost animals are reunited with owners or find new homes. As Paco heals, he realizes that empathy exists even in a world that once seemed cruel.

But the story isn't over until Paco can confront his painful past and help the dog he left behind: Rebeca, forever chained in that lonely yard. With determined new friends, he works to see her freed as well. In the end, every creature—human or otherwise—discovers the power of love, compassion, and the enduring hope that no matter how dark a situation appears, kindness can light the way.

Told with warmth and humor, Paco is more than a tale of rescue. It's a celebration of solidarity among animals and people alike, a call to protect the vulnerable, and a testament to how far courage and hope can take us when we stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

Paco