Animals Welcome

June 15, 2012
In a dream house on land certified as a wildlife sanctuary, Kehret and her husband Carl made their home welcome to animals. When they moved into their cabin on 10 wooded acres abutting forests in Washington, Peg and Carl had two cats, Pete and Molly, and a cairn terrier named Daisy. Over the years came a succession of stray and rescue cats and an occasional dog. When Carl died of heart problems after 48 years of marriage, Peg turned his studio (where he had restored player pianos and other mechanical instruments) into a foster home for cats. The studio became known as the cat room and sported a sign reading, "Home for Wayward Cats: Strays Welcome." It was a safe house that Kehret fancied as akin to safe houses for runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad. Each chapter is a new adventure with a cat or dog that comes into Kehret's life, and young readers who love animals will enjoy these chatty anecdotes. Young readers will understand when the author says she not only rescued animals, they, in turn, rescued her by providing companionship after the death of her husband. A pet lover's delight. (9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2012

Gr 5 Up-In her memoir, Kehret focuses on her love of animals and her rescue efforts for pets and wildlife. She lives in a log cabin on 10 wooded acres in Washington that adjoin hundreds of acres of forest land. This environment brings nature to her doorstep, and it is in this setting that she writes children's books and interacts with animals. Each chapter focuses on how she found an animal in need, what she did for it, and how it thrived. Black-and-white snapshots provide a glimpse of each one. She weaves in information about her writing and family life, including the death of her husband. Pet lovers, future vets, writers, and readers who enjoy memoirs will be charmed by this insightful presentation.Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.