Oh, Theodore! [Hardcover]

Susan Katz (Author)

Book Description

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

Come meet Theodore: a plump, fuzzy guinea pig with a big appetite, a lot to say, and a personality all his own. As you, and his new owner, get to know him, you'll find out what he eats and how he speaks. You'll also discover the work involved in caring for a pet: feeding, cleaning, and taking him out for exercise. But it hardly seems like work once your pet becomes your best friend.
With the popularity of guinea pigs as family and classroom pets, Theodore's antics are sure to ring true to many readers. And for those who haven't had a guinea pig of their own, these short, funny, and accessible poems will create a vivid first impression.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The young narrator badly wants a pet, but his mom says dogs are loud and snakes are too scary. So the boy reluctantly winds up with a guinea pig. Through short poems and free verse, the boy and readers get to know Theodore ("soft, plump, fuzzy brown—like a teddy bear"). At first, Theodore hides in his cage, but a cautious approach finally results in a pat on the head followed by a purr. Since guinea pigs are not the most interactive of pets, the text sometimes seems stretched; one very short poem notes that Theodore doesn't have a tail. But most of the verses make a clever point, and the action picks up when, not unexpectedly, Theodore gets lost. The Latino mother and son, along with Theodore himself, are attractively portrayed, with the guinea pig's expressive face bordering on anthropomorphic. An oversize format with plenty of white space adds appeal, and the short text can be used with beginning readers. Cooper, Ilene

Review

"An oversize format with plenty of white space adds appeal, and the short text can be used with beginning readers." Booklist, ALA

"Exude[s] child appeal ... A nice addition for classrooms and libraries, and an easy handsell for bookstores." Kirkus Reviews

The acrylic illustrations add tremendously to the appeal of the picture book, using a palette of browns, blues, and greens for both boy and guinea pig, incorporating intense shades an white to highlight textures.
Horn Book

Patience, responsiblity, humor, and love are found in full measure in this book that children will enjoy.
School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; None edition (September 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618702229
• ISBN-13: 978-0618702220
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #420,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wheet! Wheet! As Good as Lettuce!, July 26, 2009

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Oh, Theodore! (Hardcover)

Oh, Theodore! has turned out to be a wonderful surprise. I picked it up at the library on a whim and the kids have just adored it. (They are currently 7 and 9.)

The book consists of series of small, kid-friendly poems that tell the story of a sweet friendship between a boy and his Guinea Pig. The poems start out whimsically, covering various aspects of life with pigs. There's no obvious direction until Theodore goes missing. Then it became clear that as a whole the poems tell a story. (By the way, don't worry, it all ends on a happy note.)

Here's one of the poems that always leaves my son giggling:

THEO-DOOR

Open
the kitchen door.
Theodore sits.

Open
the cupboard door.
Theodore sits.

But open
the refrigerator door.
Here comes Theodore.

Well, I'm sure if you've ever been around a guinea pig, you'll understand the context of this little poem. Guinea Pigs will 'wheet' at the prospect of lettuce and other treats, and they are certainly smart enough to figure out where that good stuff comes from.

Wrap Up:::
In the current back seat pile, Oh, Theodore! reigns supreme as the book most fought over. And indeed it's a delightful book of short poems that children who like guinea pigs ought to enjoy.

Stacey Schuett's illustrations are warm and inviting. The verses are written in kid-friendly language with the mood running from goofy to happy to sad. A variety of topics are covered; everything from feeding and playing, to washing and cleaning bowls and water bottles. This latter might be used to emphasize the responsibility of owning a pet like Theodore. And certainly having poems to memorize and recite can be a great way to practice memorizing and reading skills.

Pam T~
mom and guinea pig lover

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I disagree with Booklist, December 17, 2008

By 

Avid Reader who loves Buffy and Angel - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oh, Theodore! (Hardcover)

I completely disagree with the Booklist Review. Guinea pigs are very interactive pets and the author was not stretching at all. Apparently, the person that wrote that review has never had a guinea pig. It felt like this book was about my guinea pig it was so spot on. The only disagreement that I had with this book was the picture of the apple slice with the seeds in it. The seeds are poisonous and should never be given to pigs or people. Other than that, I thought it was wonderful! So cute and funny! :)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Children's Poetry Book, April 10, 2009

By 

Nancy Anne Covey "cat mom" (Farmington, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Oh, Theodore! (Hardcover)

I came across this book in our elementary school media center and just had to have my own copy for the classroom. This is a delightful poetry book about a little boy's pet guinea pig. It's free verse poetry which fit very nicely into our poetry writing unit. The first and second grade students in my class loved the poems and the illustrations. Great book for poetry unit in elementary.