Pet Fair. (A Hodgepog book for kids). Deb Loughead. Illustrated by Lisa Birke. Vancouver, BC: Hodgepog Books, 2000. 48 pp., pbk., $5.95. ISBN 0-9686899-3-0. Grades 2-4 / Ages 7-9. Review by Lisa O'Hara. ***1/2 /4

Deb Loughead's story about one boy's experiences trying to find the perfect pet for his class pet fair is sure to please this age group. Steve can't have a normal pet because he is allergic to them. He and his sister each have a fish, respectively named Fred and Frank. But Steve doesn't want to bring boring old fish to the pet fair, and he is tired of everyone telling how wonderful their pets are. He is very sad, until his friend Jon comes up with a plan. Jon and Steve capture a frog from the pond nearby, but the frog escapes after Steve brings him home. Steve's mom doesn't like any kind of exotic pet, and when she discovers the frog in her bedroom, she screams and jumps on the bed with Steve's little sister, Lily, in her arms. Although she eventually calms down and even goes so far as to touch the frog, she won't allow it in the house.

"Mom," I said. "Why are you afraid of frogs? They aren't that scary."

"Yes, they are, Steve," Mom said. "They're all slimy. And they jump."

"That's not so scary. You were jumping on your bed, Mom. Now that was scary," I told her. "Please. Just have a look at him."

"Well, okay," Mom said. She sat down on the bed with Lily, and I sat beside her.

"See," I said. I let her peek at Glog through my fingers.

"I guess he's really not so bad," Mom said. She poked him on the head! Then she even let Lily touch him! I couldn't believe it!

"Can I keep him?" I asked. I grinned at her.

"Sorry, Steve," she said. "I don't like him that much!"

     Jon and Steve try again and capture a baby snake. Once again, the snake escapes, and Steve's baby sister Lily discovers it sitting in her play pen. Steve's mother likes snakes even less than frogs and flaps her arms in horror. Steve doesn't much like his mom flapping or jumping or screaming, and so he is relieved when Jon runs out of plans.

     Lily discovers a caterpillar, and, after Steve and his mother agree that a caterpillar is an interesting pet and one that she can live with, Steve puts it in a jar with air holes punched in the lid and feeds it lots of healthy leaves. However, he is disappointed to discover that the caterpillar has turned into a chrysalis just before the pet fair. He doesn't think that a chrysalis makes a very interesting pet.

     On the day of the pet fair, he brings the chrysalis in a brown paper bag. He watches his classmates' pets win prizes for loudest bark and hungriest pet, and he is feeling pretty sorry for himself. When he is finally called to show his pet, he pulls the jar out of the bag and is surprised to hear his classmates "Wow!" When he looks, the caterpillar has turned into a butterfly, and even Steve is impressed. His pet wins the prize for the oddest pet, and he decides to set it free, after he shows Lily.

     Written in the first person, this story is full of humour and jokes for the age group for which it is intended. Readers will be able to relate to Steve's disappointment at not having a pet to show besides fish, laugh at his description of his mother jumping on the bed, and understand his chagrin at being made to write "I will not talk in class" 50 times when he was only listening to Jon talk. Composed of 12 short chapters of about a page and a half each, this book is great both for new readers and more experienced readers.

     The pen and ink drawings by Lisa Birke illustrate the story and Steve's feelings at each juncture. Reflecting the sensibilities of children about the age of Steve, they are delightful and lend to the experience of reading this story.

Highly Recommended.

Lisa O'Hara is a librarian and mother of three in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

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