Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 2^-3, younger for reading aloud. "Rats are yucky!" In a comic, tender chapter book, Rosemary is grossed out when her third-grade class chooses a rat for its pet, but when she takes care of Cheese, one on one, and he buries his head in the curve of her elbow, she discovers that he is little and soft, with ears as soft as rose petals, and he knows her. To protect him from the class bully, she secretly takes Cheese home, and creates chaos trying to keep him hidden and safe. Kids will enjoy the farce, and most of all, they will appreciate the physicalness of how creepiness gives way to cuddly affection. The teacher is kind and unobtrusive; the classroom scenes are as funny and immediate as those in Rosemary's home. Perhaps the high point is her visit to the orthodontist, who loses his cool when the rat leaps out of Rosemary's backpack. Cynthia Fisher's illustrations were not seen in galley. --Hazel Rochman
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The fresh and credible voices that Cox (Now We Can Have a Wedding!) attributes to her young characters give this brief, quick-moving novel plenty of life. When her teacher announces that the class can adopt a pet, Rosemary decides, "Any pet would do. So long as it wasn't a rat." Much to her horror, that's exactly what the class adopts. But as Rosemary gets to know "Cheese," she has a change of heart that may well reassure youngsters who harbor similar fears about animals. Cox treats readers to a number of funny moments, as when Rosemary, determined to keep the rat away from her nemesis (who has referred to the class pet as "cat bait"), smuggles it home under her sweater; later that afternoon on a trip to get her braces tightened, the pet escapes and terrifies her orthodontist. The author also interjects some endearing asides between Rosemary and her toddler brother, Spot, as when she hides Cheese in her room and Spot spots him: "Me wants Mousey." Short sentences, funny quips and ample lighthearted art make this a smooth readand a good choice for less-than-eager readers. Ages 7-11. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4When her class adopts a rat as a pet, Rosemary is horrified. However, she quickly warms up to Cheese and soon finds herself trying to save him from the clutches of Brian, the class clown. To prevent the boy from harming the animal when it is his turn to take him overnight, she sneaks the creature out of school to her home. There, a host of new problems surface, including a curious baby brother. Realizing this is not a solution, Rosemary returns the pet to the classroom, making sure that Brian understands his responsibility for the animal's care. Readers who are becoming comfortable with chapter books as well as fans of Suzy Kline's "Horrible Harry" series (Viking) and Betsy Duffey's How to Be Cool in the Third Grade (Viking, 1993) will feel right at home with this light and breezy story. Fisher's illustrations rendered in pen and ink and watercolor washes in black-and-white bring the lovable rodent to life.Lisa Gangemi Krapp, formerly at Sousa Elementary School, Port Washington, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Rosemary loathes rats until she gets acquainted with Cheese, the new third-grade pet. Aiming to save Cheese from the suspected mishandling of a fellow classmate, Rosemary sneaks him home for a night full of adventure and mishap. Although there are no surprises, the chapter book is well paced and satisfying, with plenty of well-wrought illustrations. From HORN BOOK Spring 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A girl with a fear of rats overcomes that aversion in this fast-paced classroom story, where the personalities of the students and a funny, alert teacher take center stage. Rosemary is horrified when a rat becomes the class pet. She can't help herself, though, when the students are deciding on a name; she shouts ""Cheese"" and the name is adopted, When it's her turn to take care of Cheese, Rosemary grows fond of the pet. So fond, in fact, that she steals it rather than let her awful classmate Brian take it home. After several misadventures trying to hide it at home, she gets it back into the cage, confesses to Mr. Wilder, and gives Brian a quick lecture on how to care for Cheese properly. Cox's glowing description of Rosemary's introduction to Cheese is believable; the author, who includes rat care tips at the end, obviously has great fondness for rats, and conveys those feelings without being cloying. The class, the teacher, even Brian are all casually realistic, and the story will surely have young readers clamoring for rats of their own. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
