Emma's Strange Pet (I Can Read Book 3) [Library Binding]

Jean Little (Author), Jennifer Plecas (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2003 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: I Can Read Book 3

"All good pets have fur.
Only strange pets have no fur."

Emma's brother, Max, wants a dog. But he can't have one because Emma is allergic to furry animals. With her birthday just a few days away, Emma decides that she would like a pet for a present. After a trip to the store, Emma finds the perfect nonfurry animal. Will Max like his sister's strange pet too?

Jean Little's heartening and subtly insightful tale about the ever-evolving relationship between siblings is underscored by Jennifer Plecas's captivating artwork.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Despite her allergies, Emma wants a pet as a birthday gift. Her parents agree to her request-as long as she selects an animal without fur. Emma chooses a lizard, and she and her brother Max delight in its eating habits and changing color. When Emma realizes that Max is unhappy because he doesn't have his own pet, she convinces her father to get him a lizard. Little portrays real characters who bring everyday problems to satisfying conclusions. Simple, full-color line-and-watercolor illustrations do a great job of capturing expressions of confusion, worry, anger, and joy. An exceptional beginning reader.
Anne Knickerbocker, formerly at Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-2. In this I Can Read book, the words are simple but the story is complex, with several chapters and a fair amount of dialogue to challenge readers' skills. The story also gives readers something to think about beyond translating letters into words. Max wants a dog, but his sister, Emma, is allergic. A family visit to the pet store eventually solves the problem--a lizard seems the perfect pet--but lessons are learned about animal care and family relationships before the sweet ending occurs. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Library Binding: 64 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060283513
• ISBN-13: 978-0060283513
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,061,160 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic for early readers!, October 8, 2004

By 

Jennifer LB Leese "Author/Reviewer" (Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Emma's Strange Pet (I Can Read Book 3) (Hardcover)

Categorized as "An I Can Read Book" EMMA'S STRANGE PET is perfect for readers in grades 1st and up.

Max wants a puppy like his friend Josh, but his sister Emma is allergic to animals with fur. All seems lost until Emma tells her parents that she too wants a pet. So for her birthday they take her and her brother, Max, to the pet store where she adopts a lizard they name "Stranger." Max relates to Stranger as he is adopted too.

This book is wonderful in many ways as it talks about the affects of life-long allergies, adoption of children and pets, as well as the special bond siblings share, parent love, and how to compromise without giving in or creating hurt feelings. I found EMMA'S STRANGE PET by JEAN LITTLE inspirational, heartwarming, and fun to read with my younger children ages 7 & 8. After reading this book, my children asked several questions regarding adoption and different kinds of pets.

This splendid book would make a wonderful addition to any library and classroom for discussion on any of the topics I have mentioned here.

This reviewer (and her children) highly recommends Little's book EMMA'S STRANGE PET.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for practice, July 4, 2011

By 

Donna Bell (Montvale, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Emma's Strange Pet (I Can Read Book 3) (Paperback)

I'm a tutor and felt the book was perfect for my students to practice reading techniques. The kids found it fun and interesting and I found it useful in complementing the decoding skills learned in their Orton Gillingham Reading Program.