Fiction - Animals, Children - Fiction & Literature

Perfect Pet

Name: Perfect Pet
Author: Margie Palatini
ISBN: 9780060001100

by Margie Palatini, Bruce Whatley

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Overview

Elizabeth really, really, wants a pet. But her parents do not. Instead they give her a cactus. Even though Elizabeth's new plant proves to be a good listener, Elizabeth still really wants a pet. When Elizabeth campaigns to find the right pet, her family imagines some hair-raising possibilities, until Doug comes along—who is, without a doubt, the most unusual, perfect pet of all.

After Elizabeth's parents do not agree with her various suggestions for the perfect pet, she discovers a solution.

Synopsis

Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz - Children's Literature

Although Elizabeth "really, really, really" wants a pet, her parents definitely do not. When they offer her a cactus, she tries many other tactics to persuade them. The series of maneuvers she devises, from shocking them to catching them off guard with suggestions and arguments, do not work. But then, she finds the perfect pet: a bug named Doug. Not only does he have none of the problems that worried her parents, but he has other advantages. Unfortunately, her mother screams upon seeing him. Elizabeth manages to persuade her parents of his good qualities, but they are still dubious at the end. To support the humor of the situation, Whatley's naturalistic illustrations offer imaginative double-page visions of life with each suggested pet, all frantic and funny. He also fills in the odd moments when Elizabeth chooses to introduce a new suggestion, for example when she sits on her parents' chests in the middle of the night and shines a flashlight in their eyes. She is a delightful heroine with whom readers can sympathize and easily identify. 2003, HarperCollins Publishers,

About the Author, Margie Palatini

Margie Palatini is the author of many outrageously funny books for children, including Piggie Pie!, illustrated by Howard Fine; Moosetache, Mooseltoe, and the Bad Boys series, all illustrated by Henry Cole; The Cheese, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher; No Biting, Louise, illustrated by Matthew Reinhart; and Gorgonzola, illustrated by Tim Bowers. She lives with her family in New Jersey.

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Editorials

Children's Literature

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Palatini adds her own brand of offbeat humor and an unexpected ending to the traditional story of a child trying to convince her parents that she should have a pet. Elizabeth accepts the substitute cactus plant ("-it had quite a prickly sense of humor") and even names it, but she doesn't give up, surprising her parents in bed, in the bathroom ("Catch Them Off Guard"), and at the dinner table. While she enumerates the advantages of each animal, requesting everything from a horse to a rat, her parents counter with the negatives. Finally, the child finds her own solution. She adopts a bug, names him Doug, and provides him with a perfect habitat, good food, and companionship. He is the perfect pet, and Elizabeth loves him for his differences and individuality. Mother, on the other hand, is not happy with the idea. There is a happy ending, though, as Doug joins the family on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. The finely crafted illustrations in both delicate pastel shades and bright colors combine realistic pictures of animals and people with cartoon elements and an engaging little bug. For storytimes, combine this winner with Liesel Moak Skorpen's All the Lassies (Dial, 1970; o.p.) and Judith Viorst's poem "Mother Doesn't Want a Dog." Good for individual or group sharing.-Marlene Gawron, formerly at Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Elizabeth must pull out all the stops to convince Mother and Father to trade in Carolyn, her cactus, for a real pet. Elizabeth's various methods of persuasion-using the element of surprise, catching them off guard, and going for broke-all prove futile, eliciting only a standard response of "Huh? What? Who?" from her parents. Luckily, Elizabeth stumbles on to the ideal pet, a bug she promptly adopts and names Doug. Everyone agrees that Doug is the perfect pet-even Mother and Father concede that Doug is better than a dog because they "have more room on the couch." Palatini (Earthquack!, 2002, etc.) is once again exercising her masterful grip on picture-book humor; she makes funny look easy. Whatley's illustrations, which are strikingly reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's work and are in the style of his earlier Wait No Paint (2001), will also produce chuckles, as white backgrounds draw focus to the comical expressions of shock and confusion sported by Elizabeth's parents. While this work is accessible to very young readers by virtue of Palatini's easy-to-manage format-with subtle repetition in the narrative and subtitles-it's wordy enough, and has enough substance, to get a laugh out of the easy-book crowd. And Elizabeth's antics are sure to strike a funny bone. (Picture book. 3-8)