{"id":30856,"date":"2018-03-18T22:26:46","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T02:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30856"},"modified":"2018-03-18T22:26:46","modified_gmt":"2018-03-19T02:26:46","slug":"review-of-pets-on-the-loose-the-great-pet-escape-by-victoria-jamieson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30856","title":{"rendered":"Review of Pets on the Loose! The Great Pet Escape, by Victoria Jamieson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Pets on the Loose!<\/p>\n

The Great Pet Escape<\/em><\/p>\n

by Victoria Jamieson<\/p>\n

Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2016. 64 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a graphic novel just right for kids who are ready for chapter books. It\u2019s by the brilliant Newbery-Honor-winning Victoria Jamieson.<\/p>\n

This book is about the classroom pets of Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School. GW, a mouse, explains his fate at the beginning:<\/p>\n

Three months,
\ntwo weeks,
\nand one day.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how long I\u2019ve been stuck in this terrible prison, otherwise known as . . .
\na second-grade classroom.<\/p>\n

I was captured along with my friends Barry and Biter. I haven\u2019t seen them in months. We\u2019re being held in separate cells.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

GW has devised a clever plan to escape, including an elaborate contraption to get the door open. When he escapes one night, he goes to rescue Barry, a rabbit, and Biter, a guinea pig, as well.<\/p>\n

Barry\u2019s the first grade classroom pet, but he seems to have gone soft in prison. Still, when GW breaks him out, he goes along.<\/p>\n

Barry tries to warn GW about Biter:<\/p>\n

She\u2019s . . . she\u2019s doing hard time in the worst cell block in this place. Her jailers torture her nearly all the time with stupid songs and crazy behavior . . . .<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t mean . . .<\/p>\n

Yes, I\u2019m afraid I do . . . .
\nBiter is in KINDERGARTEN.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sure enough, Biter has even changed her name to \u201cSunflower.\u201d She says, \u201cHere in kindergarten, we talk a lot about feelings, and, well . . . I\u2019ve come to realize I have some anger issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, that\u2019s the beginning. GW and Barry do convince Sunflower to come along, on the strength of their friendship. But then they meet the fourth grade class pet, Harriet, and her mouse minions. Harriet is planning to sabotage the school lunch.<\/p>\n

What follows is a grand and dramatic food fight.<\/p>\n

Classroom pets on the loose! Jokes about school! Mayhem in the school cafeteria in the night! All in graphic novel format! There\u2019s not one kid you\u2019ll have to coax to read this book.<\/p>\n

And best of all, it shows all the signs of being the first book of a new series, Pets on the Loose!<\/em><\/p>\n

victoriajamieson.com<\/a>
\nmackids.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Fiction\/great_pet_escapes.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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