The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Eighty-Eight

Suma and Sara on my work desk in their basket

I truly identify with the human character that you will meet in the book I reviewed below. Like Miss Wright, I work alone at home tapping out words on my computer. It is sometimes a lonely business being a writer, but I certainly don't lack for companionship. Just yesterday I had two cats and three dogs in my office with me. When I test out a sentence by reading it out loud, many furry heads look up to see what I am up to. I even have a basket on my desk that the two cats sometimes share. This is rather ridiculous because the basket is really too small for two cats (one of whom is rather well padded), but they do this anyway. Though this book is of course for children, adults will also greatly enjoy it.

A pet for Miss Wright

Judy Young

Illustrated by Andrea Wesson

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Sleeping Bear Press, 2011, 978-1-58536-509-8

   Miss Wright is an author who lives in a little house on the beach. She has all kinds of adventures in the stories that she writes, but her life is very quiet and rather lonely, so she decides that she needs “something to keep me company,” and so she goes to the local pet store.

   The man at the pet store gives Miss Wright a mynah bird because he thinks that the talking bird will be the perfect companion. Unfortunately, the mynah bird does not turn out to be a good fit because the only sound it makes is to mimic the tap tapping sounds of computer keys.

   Miss Wright then brings home a monkey, which is more of a nuisance than anything else. A fish distracts Miss Wright so much that she does not write anything, a hamster running in its wheel makes her dizzy, and a cat lies across her keyboard making it impossible for her to work. Miss Wright is determined that a pet is not the answer to her problem, and then the pet shop man gives her a dog. Miss Wright does not think that the dog is going to suit her either, but she gives it a try all the same. Little does she know that the dog is going to be a bigger asset than she ever imagined.

   In this delightful picture book, we meet a lonely writer who finds that having a dog in your life can be very rewarding indeed. With wonderful illustrations and delightful characters that will appeal to readers of all ages, this is a picture book that will warm the heart and put a smile on a face.