The Teacher's Pet

Starred review from May 15, 2017
As a teacher, Mr. Stricter has a lot of good qualities, presumably, but animal identification isn’t one of them. A class science project—hatching tadpoles—ends with all but one of them being released into the wild; the one the class keeps as a pet, named Bruno, grows into a hippo. “Isn’t he adorable?” asks a cheerfully oblivious Mr. Stricter after Bruno flattens his desk. Rissi’s (the Anna Banana series) very funny text is a model of understatement and restraint (the word hippo never appears), allowing OHora (The Not So Quiet Library) to make the most of the story’s physical comedy in thickly painted scenes spiked with neon orange. Mr. Stricter is a classic bumbler cut from Amelia Bedelia’s cloth, and readers will hope that his class has more oddball tales in store. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, DeFiore and Company. Illustrator’s agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary.

June 1, 2017
The opening and closing life-cycle endpapers differ in only one small way, but it makes all the difference to a class that must deal with the fallout of their teacher's love for a class pet. Mr. Stricter is excited on the day the science project hatches: "I always wanted a pet." The class can keep just one tadpole, releasing the rest back "into the wild." They choose Bruno. But observant readers will notice that Bruno displays some key differences from the other tadpoles, differences that grow and grow as the days pass. The students quickly see that Bruno is a menace--breaking furniture, eating supplies, and snoring and farting at inopportune times--but love is blind for Mr. Stricter. That is until he gets a much closer view of his new pet. An internal one. His quick-thinking students save the day, and Bruno joins the tadpoles in the wild. But what about the next science project that hatches? No worries. A trip to the pet store satisfies everyone. The palette of mustard yellow, avocado green, turquoise, red, and bright orange gives the illustrations a retro look that is reinforced by Mr. Stricter's cardigan, bow tie, and high-top sneakers, though he also has a laptop. Mr. Stricter is white, but OHora's students are notably diverse, his palette also leading to interesting skin and hair colors. By the end students will either be dreading or looking forward to their own tadpole studies. (Picture book. 5-9)

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August 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-From the cover, readers get a sense that all is not as idyllic as the teacher's face suggests. The children wear concerned expressions and there are large bites missing from furniture and a math book. What is going on? Rissi's story of a class science project seems ordinary enough, until we notice that Bruno the tadpole looks a lot like a hippopotamus. Suddenly the problem becomes clear. "Everyone could see that Bruno was trouble. Everyone except Mr. Stricter." Ohora's acrylic illustrations work seamlessly with the text to juxtapose the teacher's blind adoration of his pet with the students' increasing alarm. "Bruno wouldn't hurt a..." Mr. Stricter is saying, and readers turn the page to see a single sneaker dangling from Bruno's mouth and a large mustard yellow "GULP!" appears over Bruno's head. Obviously the class was not overreacting when they said Bruno was trouble, but how will they get their teacher back? Fans of stories like Steven Kellogg's The Mysterious Tadpole or Mike Thaler's A Hippopotamus Ate the Teacher will appreciate the saga of a beloved small pet growing out of control. Readers will feel the increasing frustration of the class as the teacher dismisses all their concerns about Bruno and says, "Isn't he adorable?" And those who enjoy some gross humor will love the result of Bruno's sneeze. VERDICT Highly recommended. Perfect for classroom read-alouds and lessons on problem-solving or pets.-Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN

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