Pet Disasters

November 1, 2011

Gr 3-6-Mason Dixon is a curmudgeonly nine-year-old who prefers to wear brown socks, thinks all cookies should be Fig Newtons, and does not-repeat, does NOT-like pets. His parents are not put off by him, encouraging their only child to bond with a goldfish, a hamster, and then a cat. Mason's relationship with each one is, well, less than successful. But when his friend Brody, a joyful kid who wears his heart on his sleeve, overrides Mason's strident veto on getting a dog, things begin to change. Dog, a three-legged charmer, wriggles his way into the boy's good graces, and he learns to loosen up. His change in attitude is not without risk, though: Dog is injured, and Mason's friendship with Brody is nearly ruined. Mason discovers that smelling the roses sometimes means getting nicked by a thorn or two. Mills's account of this quirky kid and his trials and tribulations is both funny and touching. Tucked in among the tales of the daily grind of being a kid-bullies, exasperating parents, etc.-is a nice lesson about opening up to all of life's experiences. An enjoyable read with cartoon-style pen-and-ink illustrations scattered throughout--Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR

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