Category

Pets

Charlie Chooses
by Lou Peacock and Nicola Slater

Charlie doesn’t like to make decisions. How can you choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream when both are so delicious? How can you choose between spotty or stripy underpants when both look so fabulous?

Every single day Charlie finds himself overwhelmed by choices and he finds it really hard. He worries that he will make the wrong decision and what the consequences of that might be. What if he chooses sunglasses instead of an umbrella and then it rains? What if he keeps his light on at bedtime but then he can’t sleep?

All of Charlie’s worries come to a head when he is asked to choose a present for his birthday. Faced with such a momentous decision he panics, but fate intervenes when a flyer about rescue dogs land on his lap at the park. However when he gets to the centre he is greeted by dozens of adorable dogs and he can only take one home! The boy knows he will never be able to choose so he turns around and sadly walks away.

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Can I Sit With You?
by Sarah Jacoby

This heartwarming and stunningly illustrated book will tug on the heart strings of anyone who has ever had a beloved pet. Reading it brought back lots of happy memories of the cocker spaniel we had when I was a child. Pugsley (yes – I know! My brother and I were fans of The Addams Family at the time!) was incredibly naughty but gave the best snuggles.

At the start of this story we see a small stray dog brandishing a stick. He is looking for someone to play with him so he approaches a lonely little girl. What follows is a beautiful love story which lasts for many years.

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Goodbye Mog by Judith Kerr

Most people are familiar with the series of books about Mog, written by the wonderful Judith Kerr. The very first one, Mog the Forgetful Cat, was published in 1970 and since then there have been many stories about this feisty feline and his owners, the Thomas family. But did you know that in one of the last books written about Mog, she dies? Written to help children work through feelings of grief and loss, Goodbye Mog is a touching story about the death of a much-loved pet.

Mog is old now and very tired so one day she decides that the best thing to do would be to sleep forever.

She watches over the Thomas family as they cry sad tears and lay their pet to rest in their garden. She listens as the children share fond memories of the things they did together.

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My Pet T-Rex by Fabi Santiago

The T-Rex is Ivy’s favourite kind of dinosaur so she squealed with excitement when she spotted the cover of this book! Set in prehistoric times, the story follows a little girl called Kiki as she learns to look after her new pet T-Rex, Petunia.

At first it seems like having a dino will be easy – but Kiki soon learns that a pet is a big responsibility. Petunia needs to be washed, fed and exercised, plus she needs lots of sleep and visits to the vet. Just when Kiki thinks it might be a little bit too much, Petunia gets lost!

Wil Kiki be able to find her and if she does, will she want to keep her?

If your child is hankering for a pet then this is the perfect book to help them understand how much work they can be. It highlights all aspects of pet care and also teaches that you can’t just give them back if you don’t want to put in the effort anymore.

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Pug Hug by Zehra Hicks

The pug in this book really wants a hug. He asks all of his animal friends but no one seems interested. Hamster is busy spinning on his wheel, Rabbit is eating carrots, Cat just doesn’t like hugs, the parrots laugh at him and Fish… well, hugging Fish would be a little tricky.

Feeling dejected, Pug curls up and snuggles himself. His ears prick up when a crocodile offers him a cuddle but he soon realises the croc has ulterior motives! Will Pug ever get the big hug he desires?

This book has been a big hit with us! The vibrant illustrations jump right off the page and Ivy has fallen in love with the adorable Pug character.

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Oi Puppies! by Kes Gray & Jim Field

We are massive fans of this zany series so when the newest book – Oi Puppies! – arrived, Ivy was bouncing off the ceiling.

Frog, Dog and Cat are back to discuss the important issue of where everyone should sit, but this time they have a slight problem. Dog is babysitting a zillion puppies and they just won’t behave. They clamber all over Dog, hang from Cat’s whiskers and even start chewing on poor Frog’s swimming trunks.

Something needs to be done, so Frog gets on the phone to the wonderfully named ‘Oi Animal Seating Supply Co.’ to try and arrange some suitable ‘chairs’.

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What Do You Do If Your House Is A Zoo? by John Kelly & Steph Laberis

Picking the right pet can be hard. There are so many different animals out there so how are you supposed to choose? The little boy in this story thinks he has the perfect solution. When his mum and dad finally agree to let him have one he places an advert in the local paper asking for possible pets to get in touch.

He receives some promising replies from a pampered pussy cat, a forgetful goldfish and an extremely nibbly goat, but none of them seem quite right. But then the next day he is inundated with post. Gorillas, wolves, horses, emus, bulls and even ants have all written to him in the hope of finding a new home. Now he has so many options that he doesn’t know where to begin!

Things go from bad to worse when animals start turning up at his house. A mob of meerkats set up a security post and won’t let the family leave the house for their own safety and then some beavers arrive and start building a water feature in the garden!

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Patch, The Dog Who Ate Everything by Liz Poulain

Patch the dog loves to eat, but her tastes are a little unconventional. Socks, soap, letters, rugs, wellies, baskets – she chows down on anything she can get her paws on and her poor family doesn’t know what to do. How can they stop Patch from eating all their belongings?

After one particular eating spree they decide to pop her in the garden for a run around but instead Patch just nibbles on the plants, a bucket and even the washing line!

Exasperated, they ask a local farmer for some help and discover that perhaps what Patch needs is a friend. But will this help or hinder the situation?

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Aqua Dog by Lisa Van Der Wielen & Alison Mutton

Aqua is a dog who works hard on an Australian farm, herding sheep and helping the farmer. However whenever he gets the chance, he runs off to the water hole for a quick paddle. He likes nothing better than to swim, splash and dive beneath the surface – but the farmer just doesn’t understand. Aqua often gets in to trouble for indulging his passion for swimming!

One day, the farm is hit by a terrible storm and the rain soon causes a flood. The farmer doesn’t know what to do but Aqua Dog springs in to action. He dives through the water, and like a hero, he rescues every sheep. Once his rescue mission is complete he looks around for the farmer but he’s nowhere to be found. Aqua soon realises he must be underwater and he can’t swim! Can he rescue him before it’s too late?

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The Pawed Piper by Michelle Robinson & Chinlun Lee

The Pawed PiperThe little girl in this story really, really likes cats. She has lots of books about them but what she wants is a little fluffy cat of her very own – so she decides to lay a trail!

She gathers together an arsenal of cat toys, including balls of wool, skeins of ribbon and little jingly jangly balls. Then she visits her Grandmother and learns that they also enjoy playing with catnip, cardboard boxes and newspapers.

Soon her bedroom is full of exciting things designed to entice cats and she sits and waits for them to arrive. She waits all day but she has no luck so she heads to bed and sadly snuggles her cat book instead.

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