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Bob Staake’s (The Red Lemon) latest picture book is about a boy who lives in Smartytown with his pet book. As the boy goes about his day in his busy community, the pros and cons of having a book for a pet are narrated in rhyme. It never ate. It never drank. It couldn’t do a trick.
It never shed. It had no fleas. It couldn’t fetch a stick. When he takes his book out for a walk, he doesn’t have to stop and pick up poop like dog owners do. When he sleeps at night, he sleeps soundly because his book doesn’t purr like a cat. Best of all, when the boy spends time with his book, he is able to expand his imagination and read himself into the stories.
Unlike animal pets though, book pets can be given to charity by accident. But the maid in this story, who believes it’s her fault, loves the boy and takes immediate action to get the book back. Although it looks like the maid will find the book, it’s the boy who does. This story ends with a happy reunion and the boy falling asleep with his book nestled in his arms.
The colorful digital illustrations give this book a futuristic feel. Familiar objects are colored in unfamiliar ways. In Smartytown, there are blue trees and green polka-dotted dogs. People can be purple. Body proportions and movements are exaggerated.
After reading this story, I would ask children what kind of book pet they would like to take home from the library.
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My Pet Book