I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs

I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs by Lauren Child

            Picture Book—PreK-2

            Rating: 4 Stars

            Summary: Lola gets to bring Bert, the class guinea pig, home during school vacation. She and Charlie have fun learning about Bert and making an obstacle course for him to run, but when Bert gets lost, they must find him before Lola goes back to school!

            I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs comes from the TV adaptation of Lauren Child’s book series. I haven’t read much of the Charlie and Lola series, but I can definitely see how these characters are popular among kids. Lola’s excitement is infectious as she wishes to take Bert home for the school vacation, and it’s comical to see how her brother Charlie doubts her preparedness to care for the animal. The dynamic between the brother and sister reminded me of my relationship with my older brother, who also acted like a know-it-all and challenged my ideas with his own questions and commentary. I really enjoyed learning about guinea pigs, and liked how the information is not presented in an in-your-face sort of way. As the reader, we instead explore the world of guinea pigs with Lola and her friends as they engage in a friendly rivalry to show off what they know about the pet. The art in this book is fun and energetic, which helps to bring out the excitement that Lola is experiencing with Bert. I really enjoyed Child’s use of collage. Most memorable were the VHS tapes, cardboard, and wooden blocks that make up Bert’s run track. Overall, the collage is distinctive and brings out a unique experience for us as the reader.

            Since the Charlie and Lola TV series is popular among kids, I think this book and others of Lauren Child would be valuable additions to a classroom library. The connection to the TV show would make this an attractive choice for students, especially with reluctant readers who may have seen the show. This story also has a nice touch of humor, which I know from experience is a nice feature that helps to pull students into a story. In addition, many elements lend themselves to students’ lives, such as the rivalry among classmates, the sibling dynamic, and caring for a pet. With so much for readers to connect to and laugh about, this book would be an ideal choice for a read-aloud as a nice break from the grind of everyday learning..

            

I Want a Pet

I Want a Pet by Lauren Child

            Picture Book—PreK-2

            Rating: 5 Stars

            Summary: A girl longs for a pet, but quickly learns that her initial choices (a lion, octopus, and boa constrictor, to name a few), bring a slew of undesirable traits and responsibilities.

            I Want a Pet is a classic scenario of a child who bargains with her parents to let her have a pet. I certainly found myself in this same situation for much of my childhood—my longing for a dog resulted in fourteen years of persistent begging before my family finally adopted a dog from a shelter. Just like the parents in the story, my mom and dad always found plenty of reasons to avoid getting a pet. None were quite as outrageous as those that this story chronicles as the girl names off numerous animals which are obviously ill-suited to be pets. Child captures the determination and incessant pleading that many children go through in order to eventually have a pet. I found the reasoning very humorous, especially when the grandad says that “Stuffed pets are very reliable.” My dad once felt the same way and got me a battery-operated dog for Christmas, telling me that was the closest I would get to having a dog. Fortunately, he changed his mind, and the girl in the story is also lucky enough to eventually get a pet that we just see as an egg at the end of the story. I like that Child leaves it up to us as the reader to speculate about the girl’s pet, adding to the mystery and allure of the story as a whole. Also, the quirky illustrations add a fitting touch to the story. The scratchy, juvenile depictions perfectly complement the mentality of the girl as she dreams about all of the bizarre pets she can have.

            This story would be a great read-aloud for young children. For every child who is lucky enough to have a pet, there is another who is longing for one, and everyone can dream about owning an eccentric pet like a lion or boa constrictor. I think everyone can relate to the dream of having an animal to care for and love. At the very least, I Want a Pet would be a great story to ignite the imaginations of students and discuss the excitement of owning an octopus or a lion. While improbable, this is just the scenario that children can easily latch on to and use as inspiration for a story of their own. The end is also open for interpretation, which would be a good way to get students thinking and generating their own inferences as to what pet the girl will end up with when the egg hatches. Overall, I think this story would simply be a great way to inspire creativity in a way that is still relatable to a lot of kid’s interests.