Trouble at Betts Pets [Paperback]

Kelly Easton (Author)

Book Description

When animals start disappearing from his parents’ pet store, Aaron finds an unexpected ally to help solve the mystery in this upbeat, kid-friendly novel for middle-grade readers.

Aaron Betts has an unusual way of looking at things. After spending almost every afternoon and weekend at his parents’ pet shop, he can’t help but think of people as animals. His flit-about mom is a canary, his father a basset hound, his fifth-grade teacher a gecko, and his stuck-up classmate, Sharon Trout - who is tutoring him in math - a Siamese cat. But Aaron has other things on his mind, too: his neighborhood is not what it used to be, ever since bulldozers leveled the community garden across the street and left an eccentric old lady named Bertha out in the cold. To make matters worse, the family business is losing business - and animals, one by one, are vanishing into thin air.

As suspenseful as it is funny, Kelly Easton’s lighthearted tale makes a comical case for overcoming first impressions, while her quirky, observant narrator will feel like a friend long after the book is closed.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The titular problem at Aaron Betts's family pet store is that the animals are disappearing, but there are more complications afoot in the plotting of this funny but ultimately disappointing book. The affable fifth-grader launches the novel promisingly enough: "I think of people as animals. My mom, for example, is a canary. She flutters around the store, from task to task, and chirps at the customers as they tell her long stories about their cat's new litter box or their turtle shell's fungus." Quick-witted and mature Aaron works hard in the shop but his stress surfaces in a few compulsions, such as counting the 264 steps to school each day. A surprising and healing friendship develops between the hero and snooty classmate Sharon (at first, he compares her to a haughty Siamese cat: "Meow, I could practically hear her say"). Easton (The Life History of a Star) sprinkles into the narrative moments of delicious sarcasm, insight and verve, and crafts most of her characters impeccably. But the story splinters into numerous subplots and never quite gathers momentum. The failing pet store, the apathetic parents, the mystery of the vanishing pets, Sharon's crush on Aaron and the neighborhood's gentrification and its effects on a homeless lady crowd the novel until there isn't room to fully explore or resolve all of the issues. Consequently, an exposition-heavy, deus ex machina solution to the "mystery" yields an abrupt conclusion, even though Aaron's narration keeps the plot bouncing along. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grades 3-6--Aaron Betts's parents own a pet shop, and the fifth grader has always enjoyed working there after school and on weekends. Suddenly, the animals start disappearing; an elderly neighborhood acquaintance, Bertha, is taken away by the police and Aaron can't find her; and, worst of all, he has been partnered with snobby Sharon for math tutoring. What else could go wrong? The writing style is interesting, and there are some moments of insight. Aaron finally gets to hear Bertha's life story from the pet store "thief," and he learns that Sharon may have money, but that doesn't mean she is happy. The protagonist is likable and believable, and shows quite a bit of moral fiber throughout the book. Not all conflicts are easily resolved, and the story is engaging.
Sharon R. Pearce, Geronimo Public School,
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 133 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic, Inc (2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439467667
• ISBN-13: 978-0439467667
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,103,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kelly Easton grew up in Los Angeles, California. From the time she can first remember, she was obsessed with the destruction of the beauty of the area, orange groves and strawberry fields and charming downtowns, by the suburban sprawl of the seventies. Her search for the perfect place has sent her all over the place, most recently North Carolina and now New England.

Kelly has an MFA in playwriting from UC San Diego. She teaches in a low residency MFA program in writing for children and young adults at Hamline University, and lives on islands in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She also teaches creative writing to kids in summer workshops, and helps other writers edit their books. Kelly lives with her husband, Michael Ruben, and their children: Isaac, Isabelle, Mollie and Rebecca (plus their dog Garfield). She has just finished her first adult novel, Dreams in the Land of Photographs. You can reach her through her website: www.kellyeaston.com

Kelly's novels have won many awards, among them, the Asian/Pacific American Literature Award, the ASTAL Middle School Book of the Year Award, NYPL Book For the Teen Age, Kentucky Bluegrass Masterlist (Hiroshima Dreams); an ALA Quick Pick listing, and nomination for the ABE award, 2010 (Aftershock); Atlanta parents Best Book, and NYPL Book for the Teen Age (White Magic); a Boston Author's Club Award, Westcherster's Choice Best Book, CCBC Best Books selection (Walking on Air); and a Golden Kite Honor, Booksense Top Ten (The Life History of a Star). Her newest book, The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes, is a Jr. Library Guild selection.

She loves to hear from readers!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Book review, October 20, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Trouble at Betts Pets (Hardcover)

This story is about a boy named Aaron who is in the 5 grade. Aaron's family owns a pet store where he spends most his time. Aaron is struggling in school and his teacher assigns a tutor Sharon Trout. Sharon is a stickup rich selfless person. Aaron and Sharon tutor at the pet store and visit with the animals. The business is loosing business and becoming broke. Aaron and Sharon are starting to relies animals are missing. They have a stake out at the store and find that a person named Captain Blue was taking animals to empress somebody and putting them back.

My opinion of the story is that it is well written because it all goes in order. They use very descriptive words to describe the characters. The story is very easy to follow because it does not go back in fourth. It also made you very curious because you did not no what would happen. Someone else should read this book because it is interesting. It is a very gripping mystery book. Every body should own their own copy.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is so funny, August 19, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Trouble at Betts Pets (Hardcover)

I loved this book. Sharon Trout is so funny and Aaron seemed as real as any of my friends. I also thought it taut good lessons about being kind to others because Aaron tries to take care of Bertha who is homless.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great, funny book, May 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Trouble at Betts Pets (Hardcover)

This is one of the funniest books I've read. It's so cool, and the mystery gets really scary at one point.