Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge [Hardcover]

Bill Wallace (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Liz tells her zoologist father he must get rid of all the homeless animals he keeps at their house or she'll never win the sixth-grade class presidency, but when they're gone she misses them and learns there are more important things than winning.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Liz (known as "Lizard" at school after an unfortunate happening in second grade when her show-and-tell lizard got loose) is having trouble coping. She is running for president of the sixth grade and her stiffest competition is the class glamour queen, who has a mean mouth. Wallace writes convincingly of the trials of a 12-year-old faced with derision from schoolmates because her dad, a zoologist, has a collection of weird pets that sabotage every campaign-strategy meeting in her home. Deciding that the animals must go so that she can lead a "normal" life and win the election, she pleads her case with her father. Understandingly, he finds homes for the animals, but Liz comes to realize that perhaps she has lost more than she has gained. The book is as much about an adolescent's interaction with animals as it is about her relationship with parents and peers. Young readers should relate to and enjoy this story.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Liz's house is like a zoo. Thanks to her dad, a zoologist, there are turtles in the kitchen, an ibex in the backyard, a hawk in the shed, a sun porch full of lizards -- and Fred the ferret.

Liz has had enough! At school, her nickname is Lizard. Her classmates think she's weird and her friends are afraid to go to her house. WIth problems like those, how is she ever going to win the election for class president?

Liz tries her hardest, but she runs into one disaster after another. So she makes the startling decision -- the animals must go. Even Fred, her pet ferret. That will make all the difference in the world...won't it? --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 132 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (April 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823406008
• ISBN-13: 978-0823406005
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,336,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great lesson in friendship and personal discovery, May 26, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge (Hardcover)

Liz learns a lesson that few adults have managed: what really is important in life and who are your friends. The animal information is up to date and mostly true (the indication that the Fred the ferret is a wild animal is one of the rare goofs), the story moves along quickly, and the characters and circumstances are believable (hey, I live with over 10 ferrets so I know what it's like, and Wallace hit the nail on the head). A great read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST BOOK IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, March 11, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge (Minstrel Book) (Paperback)

There is no way to express my feelings about this book. It really changed my attitude about reading. I liked reading a lot; however it made me like reading even more.
I can really understand why this book is an award winning book. My favorite characters are Sally and Liz. I like how they are always covering for each other or right by each others side. There is nothing I would change about this book and I give all my thanks to the author, Thank You Bill.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book, May 23, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge (Hardcover)

This book was about a girl and her pets and she was trying to win to become class president. So she had to decide if she wanted to give up her friends or give up her pets. So she gave up her pets and then she was upset because she was lonely with out them. And this story takes place at her school and home. The main characters were Liz but everyone called her lizard Miss Wimberl, Sally, Mrs Jones Mr.Mcdonald, Shane, Lizs Mother, Farther, Jo Donna Hunt and lizs animals Fred and Bessie. I would recommend this book for kids my age and older because it was a terrfic book to read.