MotherReader

In my library weeding I had to pull several damaged and dated books about a variety of small mammals. Those titles get a lot of use and love. So I was really excited to see this new book arrive in my library because it was from my request to purchase books more books in that area. So, cool.

Choosing a Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Ferret, Mouse or Rat: How to Choose and Care for a Small Mammal
by Laura S. Jeffrey
Enslow Elementary, 2013

From the title and cover alone, this seems like a perfect book for kids choosing a pet. The gerbil on the cover - which given the angle of the photo looks pretty much like a hamster or mouse too - looks like he is begging for his forever home and the photographs throughout the book are similarly appealing. Clear language and short sentences are used to describe different small mammals with a focus on their particular needs and benefits as a pet. While not a thorough book on the care of each animal, the care is described in terms of what will be needed when selecting an pet. There are short chapters on health, picking up small mammals (oddly calling 'Preventing Problems') and one page on "living with your animal." It's a worthy title for an early elementary kid pondering the mouse-to-rabbit continuum of small pets.

That said, I did have a few problems with the book. While pros and cons of each pet are described, the hamster falls entirely on the negative side. "They are also known to get upset easily, and they bite or nip at their owners. Because of this, hamsters may not be the best small mammal for you." While the first is true, the direct suggestion is the only one given of any of the animals mentioned, and it bugged me as a hamster-owner. Also the bibliography only lists titles for rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Perhaps this accounts for the hate on hamsters - the author didn't read a book about how certain types of hamsters are better than others for kids. So my recommendation for the book is somewhat qualified. I am intrigued by the rest of the series from American Humane Society, which includes choosing a cat, dog, fish, and horse. Separate books. (I mean, no one is out there debating between a fish and a horse.)

For more great books, visit the Nonfiction Monday round-up hosted today at A Wrung Sponge.

My eight-year-old really wants a hamster. She asks every once in a while, and we go to the pet store to see them every chance we get. She doesn’t whine about it, but she brings home a school library book about hamsters every single week. Her approach is to wear me down slowly, and with books. Clever plan. I’ve told her that she could have a hamster if she could manage to take care of herself without constant reminders to brush her hair, put on her socks, and eat her breakfast. We’ll see how that goes. I actually wouldn’t mind a hamster. Neither would the cats.

So when I saw The Great Texas Hamster Drive, by Eric Kimmel, at ALA, I had to have it. It looked like it combined two great things: hamsters and that Superbowl commercial where the cowboys were rounding up cats. I loved that commercial. Anyway, I requested a copy of The Great Texas Hamster Drive from the publisher, got it, loved it, and forgot to mention it. Until now.

Honestly, I don’t know what I’ve got in my bag of tricks that is a better recommendation than what I’ve already said in the preceding paragraph. Because kids love hamsters, adults love that cat herding commercial, and everyone loves Eric Kimmel. Oh, it’s also an original tall tale, and teachers love tall tales, particularly if they are part of the curriculum like they are here. Even the cover is its own sales pitch, what with the cute hamsters all over everything, including the horse’s face.

In the story, Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue have four boys and one girl, and they all work together on the ranch. Being the only girl, and the youngest, Sue tends to get what she wants... and she wants a hamster. So the little mouse-like creature is ordered from Chicago — and since one would get lonely, they get two. Of course, two turn into five, and then fifteen, and then twenty-eight. The brothers build bigger cages to hold them all, but not well-structured cages, because the little guys get out and head out on the range. Left out on their own, they take over the prairie by the thousands. So it’s time to round them up and send them to the city kids, where they can all find homes.

I loved the story. Lots of fun. The illustrations by Bruce Whatley were just perfect, with wonderful watercolor images of the horses rounding up the hamsters, close-ups of the little hamsters out in front of the pack, and funny views of the hamsters in underground tunnels. Maybe someone you know won’t be getting a hamster anytime soon, but sure as shooting, they’ll love this book. Yee-haw!