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

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
Mason is an only child who likes his room clean, his socks brown, and his food plain. His parents have other ideas about what's good for him, and he's nudged further out of the box by his enthusiastic best friend, Brody. The stories' conflicts involve bullies, art projects, choir practice, and hurt feelings. Both books are entertaining, if a little bland.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)