A humorous look at one classroom’s quest for the perfect pet. There is a lot of speculation when Mr. Gilbert announces that the class will soon have a new addition. The students love the guinea pig he surprises them with and incorporate him into their lessons, using tally marks to vote for a name, a chart to track the cavy chores and bombarding Mr. Gilbert with written requests for a companion for their lonely pet. But little did any of them know that their math lessons would soon become more complicated when the two guinea pigs become 20. The chaos that ensues leads the teacher to put them up for adoption and try a different pet instead…but should their new bunny’s belly be growing like that? Cuyler’s rhymes scan well, and their bouncy rhythms add to the humor of too many cavies. Pearson’s line-and-color illustrations ably complement the tongue-in-cheek text. Her guinea pigs overflow the pages, adorably cute and curious, while the children’s love for their cavies comes through loud and clear. This should be required reading for any teacher considering a class pet. (Picture book. 4-8)
