The Pet War

Gr 4–6—Otto, 11, pleads with his mother for a dog, while his sister, Lexi, 12, is insistent on getting a cat. The siblings go to extremes in making their case of why they should get their choice of pet; their mother wants to know who will pay for everything. Lexi takes a more practical approach in her efforts to get a cat, earning money by tutoring her peers, making charts, and educating herself on what having a cat entails. With Otto's zany methods, high jinks ensue throughout the story. He consistently comes up with new schemes from car washing to selling apples to dog walking to make money. These ideas usually end in disaster and costing him money. The children learn that being responsible is not always fun, or easy. Readers will relate to the sibling rivalry as well as the antics the youngsters go through as they try to one up the other. The story is a bit repetitive, but comical nonetheless. Otto is a humorous protagonist whose narrative will keep readers amused. Pet lovers will enjoy this entertaining story.—Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY