Who Swallowed Harold?: And Other Poems About Pets - Hardcover

Author Susan Pearson writes and edits books for children. She lives in an old farmhouse in Plainsfield, Massachusetts.

Illustrator David Slonim has illustrated a number of highly praised books, including Oh, Ducky! A Chocolate Calamity, which he also wrote, and Emily and Albert by Jan Omerod. He lives in Anderson, Indiana.

Kindergarten-Grade 4–Eighteen poems about children and their pets. The wistful opening selection, "Wishes," is about a youngster who has prepared an array of cages, bowls, and hutches in anticipation of the arrival of a pet. "Popcorn" is a guinea pig that jumps for joy. "Choosing a Dog" is a litany of breeds. How is a child supposed to decide? In "Mary Beth," a snake gets lost in the house but is found when Mom screams. The little creatures in "Ant Farm" aren't any fun; they just keep marching. In "My Turtle's in the Toilet," a child pleads, "PLEASE DON'T FLUSH!" The humorous poems are accompanied by zany, acrylic, colored-pencil-and-pen illustrations that make the book a visual treat. A goldfish is suspended over a large open mouth, a turtle floats in the toilet wearing swim goggles, and a snake looks quite cozy under a colorful quilt. There's lots of fun here for sharing together and enjoying the animated art.–Linda Staskus, Parma Regional Library, OH
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