The Kingfisher Treasury of Pet Stories (The Kingfisher Treasury of Stories)

From School Library Journal Grade 2-6?A delightful collection of previously published stories about pets?even monkeys and giraffes. Contributors include Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Betsy Byars, and Margaret Mahy. One of the standouts, Joan Aiken's Arabel's Raven, stars a ravenous bird who gobbles up everything in the refrigerator including a half-pound of New Zealand cheddar and a black-currant tart. The selections are short enough for reading aloud and should inspire children to write about their own pets. The black-and-white cartoon illustrations add appeal. The silly nature of these stories makes the book different from Cynthia Rylant's Every Living Thing (Bradbury, 1985), in which the pets are realistic and the tales carry a message. Pair this collection with Michael Rosen's Purr...Children's Book Illustrators Brag About Their Cats (1996) and Speak! Children's Book Illustrators Brag about their Favorite Dogs (1993, both Harcourt) for a surefire booktalk. Buy a copy for your read-aloud shelf, too.?Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TXCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. From