Tails from the Animal Shelter

Gr 1-4--This primer on the importance of rescuing animals begins by listing some of the reasons animals end up in shelters, including natural disasters, medical issues, and abuse. While these are sad facts, the book's tone is positive. The text describes the many wonderful ways animal shelters connect pets with caring families. Shaw tackles a variety of pet species, from the conventional dogs and cats to the more unusual skunks and pigs. Each spread contains a thematic, kid-friendly poem on one side with informational content on the other side. The cute illustrations are paired with a jaunty font and show endearing close-ups of various pets with their loving two-legged companions. Back matter includes background on the history of the Association of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, things to consider before adopting an animal, other ways to help animals, and additional resources. Adults may question the inclusion of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' website on the additional resource list, as the organization's website is known to include graphic photographs of animal mistreatment, which could be traumatic for children exploring on their own. VERDICT A "paw-some" introduction to pet adoption.--Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State Univ., OH