My Tiny Pet

March 4, 2019
When a family’s household reaches maximum pet capacity (critters include “six poodles,/ ten cats, a tarantula, two/ snakes, three hedgehogs,/ ten mice, countless birds,” and more), it’s time to simplify. Painting in a playfully harried art style, Hartland shows the family rehoming the animals and establishing themselves in a modest woodland cabin. But the child narrator pines for a new pet. When she learns about the microscopic tardigrade, or “water bear,” she adopts one. She informs her worried parents that it will stay microscopic (they envision a nightmare scenario in which the tardigrade has grown gigantic) and will not bark or shed. An author’s note about the fascinating creatures concludes this clever story perfect for the era of tiny living. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from May 1, 2019
A young child finds the perfect pet for a downsized lifestyle in this picture book. What's a kid got to do to get a pet when the parents subscribe to the tiny house philosophy? The young narrator used to live "in a ginormous house...with six poodles, ten cats, a tarantula..."--and the pet list goes on in a delightfully rippling fashion. But when the child's parents decide to "downsize!" and "simplify!" the pets are given away and the family moves to a tiny house in the woods. "All is good," the narrator says in the casual, friendly tone that distinguishes the narrative, "except I really want a pet." The parents are adamant: no pets. In science class, however, the child learns about the microscopic tardigrade--the "water bear"--and is convinced it would make the perfect tiny pet. Author/illustrator Hartland's ingenuous gouache illustrations are chock-full of playful, humorous details (such as specialized pet products that include mouse Halloween costumes and toothpaste for elephants), and the book's fresh storyline exposing the tiny world of tardigrades will have an undeniable appeal to young readers (and may inspire adoptions of microscopic pets). Visually, crisp dialogue bubbles mix with text and full-bleed illustrations to create a lively, engaging presentation (including an author's note with tardigrade fun facts). The narrator and parents are shown as white with other characters illustrated in various skin tones. Original, superinteresting, expertly presented. (Picture book. 4-8)

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August 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-Almost every child yearns for a pet, and this book's protagonist is no different. Luckily, she lives in a "ginormous house." She has every kind of pet, in astonishing numbers, until her parents decide to downsize, and they are all adopted out to loving families. Still, there is the yearning. Getting her inspiration from a science class, the nameless child convinces her parents to allow her to keep a tardigrade, otherwise known as a water bear. Tardigrades can't be seen with the naked eye, and can live under all kinds of extreme conditions; how could Mom and Dad say no? Hartland uses a simple narrative and hilarious, detailed gouache paintings to tell a story that will have every child asking for a micro-pet. VERDICT Fun and informative, a great addition to larger collections and best for a lap-sit or read-alone, to enjoy the details in the illustrations.-Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter School, Providence

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