pets

Book Review: Melvin and the Boy by Lauren Castillo

| Tasha

melvinboy

Melvin and the Boy by Lauren Castillo

Released July 5, 2011.

A young boy wants a pet very badly, but his parents always say no.  A dog is too big, a monkey too much work, a parrot too noisy.  One day, he sees a turtle at the park who is looking at him and follows him.  So the boy asks if he can keep it as a pet.  His parents agree, and the boy names the turtle Melvin.  But back home, Melvin won’t play.  He won’t eat.  Walking the turtle doesn’t work either.  The only time Melvin comes out of his shell is when he takes a bath.  The boy can see that Melvin is not happy in their house.  So they return him to the pond, where the boy will be sure to visit him often.

This is the first book that Castillo has both written and illustrated.  Her writing is pitch perfect here, offering just enough detail and with the right phrasing and tone.  It really feels as if a child was speaking in first person without becoming distracting.  I particularly enjoy the fact that the boy himself realizes the turtle is unhappy.  His parents follow his lead with the turtle rather than them leading him to a decision.

As always, Castillo’s art is very successful.  Her art emphasizes the urban setting of the book, playing the greens against the concrete colors nicely.  Her use of thick lines and soft colors makes for a book that is welcoming and warm.

A great addition to any story time on pets or turtles, this is also a wonderful read to start discussions about pets and keeping them safe and happy.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt and Company.

That Cat Can’t Stay

| Tasha

That Cat Can’t Stay by Thad Krasnesky, illustrated by David Parkins

When Mom rescued the the black and white cat from the downpour, Dad insisted that it not be allowed in the house.  Then he relented and let it stay until the rain stopped.  After the rain stopped, it was too late and they had a cat.  Then Mom found a calico cat. And the story is the same, Dad said no, gives in a little, and finds himself owning another cat.  Dad came up with very funny reasons why the cats can’t stay, but one after another, he found himself allowing the cats to be their pets.  In the end, the family discovered Dad’s soft spot.  Dogs!

Krasnesky’s rhyming text is very funny with a great rollicking flow to it.  It begs to be read aloud, especially Dad’s litany of reasons he doesn’t like cats, which are sure to have children giggling since they all rhyme with one another: “They eat my cheese.  They hairball-wheeze.  Their licking makes my stomach quease.”  Parkins’ art adds a lot to the story, ensuring that the reader is charmed by the cats thanks to their friendly furriness.  He uses white space with skill, changing the illustrations for Dad’s litany of cat complaints to make each one a bit more frenzied and dynamic. 

Recommended for cat storytimes.  This is a purr-fect readaloud for any family that finds that they too seem to collect animals.  I’d even recommend it happily to dog lovers.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Flashlight Press.

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Wanted: The Perfect Pet

| Tasha

Wanted: The Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton

More than anything Henry wanted a dog.  More than chips, more than a trip to the moon, more than world peace!  Henry already has lots of frogs, 27 varieties, but they are boring compared to a dog.  He knows just the kind of dog he wants: one with personality, one that does tricks, one that has floppy ears and a warm, furry tongue.  So Henry posted an ad in the paper and waited.  The ad was read by a lonely duck who decided that being Henry’s dog was the perfect place for him.  So he disguised himself as a dog and headed to Henry’s house.  Henry was very excited to see him, but got more and more puzzled as his dog failed to live up to his expectations.  When the dog was revealed to be a duck, what would Henry do?

Roberton has created a book with an interesting feel and style.  She includes clever asides and quirky perspectives.  The book has a very charming style of writing that gives the illustrations enough space to help tell much of the story too.  The illustrations are filled with white space and offer plenty of small details that readers will enjoy discovering.  Watch for the sheep flying past in the background on a windy day. 

A special, quirky picture book that takes selecting a pet to an intelligent and wise place.  Appropriate for ages 4-7. 

Reviewed from copy received from Putnam.