I Wish I Had a Pet

K-Gr 2—Using found art and some handmade items, Rudy has created an imaginative world filled with mice and the pets they might make their own—or not. It's especially difficult to find a pet when you happen to be a mouse, but the right one will be perfect for sharing "exciting times,/quiet times,/and silly times, too." The young narrator explains exactly what should be considered. One that's not too big is a given! Or one that's hard to handle. The pictures show the little mouse rejecting a large bird, washing a turtle's shell ("Keep it clean"), and caring for a goldfish twice her size. This tale would be useful as a model for writing about the pets children want, and art teachers could make a lesson exposing children to using found objects in their work. However, the text is a bit bland and lacks the liveliness of an engaging read-aloud.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA