My Favorite Pets: by Gus W. for Ms. Smolinski's Class

When Jeanne Birdsall was young, she promised herself she'd be a writer someday--so that she could write books for children to discover and enjoy, just as she did at her local library. She is also the author of The Penderwicks, which won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, and The Penderwicks in Spring.
Jeanne lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, with her husband and an assortment of animals, including a dog named Cagney. You can find out more about Jeanne, her books, and her animal friends at JeanneBirdsall.com.
Harry Bliss is a cartoonist and cover artist for the New Yorker magazine. He grew up in upstate New York amidst a family of successful painters and illustrators, and is also the illustrator of A Fine, Fine School by Newbery-Award winner Sharon Creech and Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin; among many others. Harry lives in South Burlington, Vermont. Learn more about Harry and his work at HarryBliss.com.

K-Gr 3—Gus writes a report about his favorite pet(s): his family's 17 sheep. He begins with some basic facts about sheep but quickly slips into relating amusing details about his mischievous antics with the animals. Gus writes about his efforts to trade his little brother for a lamb, the time he dressed up a sheep in his teacher's borrowed scarf, and his attempts to teach the sheep to ride a skateboard and a bicycle. He includes brief references to his parents' reactions ("What were you thinking, Gus?"). But the last straw comes when the boy leads the sheep into the house, where they create quite a mess. "But we were only upstairs for a minute!" Gus's mother exclaims. Bliss's delightful illustrations take Birdsall's funny text to the next level by showing the extent of the trouble that Gus's grand ideas cause as well as the innocent-looking sheep. As fitting with an elementary school report, the text appears to be handwritten on notebook paper; Ms. Smolinski gives Gus a B+ and comments on his improved penmanship. VERDICT A thoroughly engaging book that children are bound to giggle through. A first purchase.—Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT