The Pet Project: Cute and Cuddly Vicious Verses

When a bespectacled girl with pigtails asks her parents for a pet, they suggest she take a scientific approach, researching potential animals. The girl's investigations take her to the farm, zoo, woods, and more, but the results are not encouraging. A monkey's "fur is full of bugs and lice/ He flings his poo--His aim's precise." Rabbits are "Steadfast fur soldiers,/ armed to the teeth... conquering cabbages row upon row." And cats are downright bipolar: "Pitter-patter pampered paws,/ ripping razor cutting claws." OHora's chunky acrylic caricatures are well suited to Wheeler's lightly wicked humor (a pony is shown in a beauty salon chair, mane in curlers, kicking at the girl). The poems may not make children rethink their pet dreams, but they'll certainly laugh at the worst-case scenarios. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Sean McCarthy, Sheldon Fogelman Agency. (Apr.)

Gr 1-4--When children read the foreword, which includes the warning, "Animals aren't always charming," they will know that this is not going to be your average, warm and fuzzy animal poetry book. The tongue-in-cheek verses serve as a "research guide" (and alert) for youngsters who are considering getting a pet. A young girl armed with a notebook in which to write her observations visits a farm, a zoo, and the woods to gain insight into how various creatures really live in order to decide on the right kind of pet and whether or not she would be able to care for it. Humorous first-person rhymes show her findings, which ultimately highlight the downside of the various animals. For example, monkeys smell "funky" and horses have a tendency to kick. The girl also performs a "home study" wherein she observes goldfish; an ant farm; and standard pets like cats, dogs, and gerbils. Ultimately, she decides that animals are probably not worth all the trouble and asks her parents for a microscope instead. OHora's illustrations, done in muted acrylics, add to the whimsy and even give the silent creatures personality. While the rhyme falls flat at times, kids will love the silly humor and animal discussion.--Rita Meade, Brooklyn Public Library, NY