Review by Booklist Review
Miss Wright writes exciting stories about adventurous characters, but she also feels lonely in her too-quiet office, where the only sound is the click of her computer keys. Off she goes to the pet store, where she chooses a chatty mynah bird. All it mimics, though, is the noise of her keyboard, so she exchanges the bird for a monkey, which is so active that it makes writing impossible. After trying a fish, a hamster, and a cat, Miss Wright finally brings home a dog, which turns out to be a perfect companion: it listens, responds, encourages, and even fetches the thesaurus and dictionary. The elaborately bordered line-and-watercolor illustrations show both the sadness of isolation as well as the imaginative richness that can come with solitude, while the central pet story will easily attract kids. Particularly fun is the chaos that comes with each animal that doesn't stay, such as the hyperactive monkey and a drowsy cat, and then the contrasting bond that comes with Miss Wright's cocker spaniel, which knows exactly what his companion needs.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Because writing is a lonely occupation, Miss Wright seeks the perfect pet to keep her company. The mynah, monkey, fish, hamster, and cat do not live up to her expectations, so she decides that she is finished with pets. The man at the pet store insists she try a dog, and Miss Wright finds him to be the ideal companion. He lets her know with kisses, howls, and other behavior how much he likes her stories, and when the words just do not sound right, the two take long walks to think of better ideas. With her new pet's help, the woman completes a manuscript that is accepted for publication. Cartoon illustrations keep the story lighthearted, although busy patterns on the materials in Miss Wright's house and between pages, along with a lack of unifying colors, diminish the visual appeal. The text may be of particular interest for students studying authors.-Julie R. Ranelli, Queen Anne's County Free Library, Stevensville, MD (c) Copyright 2011. 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
In this adult-centered story, aspiring author Mrs. Wright believes that a pet will help cure her loneliness. After a mynah bird, monkey, and others fail, a trusty canine, who happens to be an excellent writing companion (even fetching a dictionary and a thesaurus), supports the writer, and her story is accepted for publication. Patterned illustrations accented with cheery florals convey a homey setting. (c) Copyright 2011. 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
Miss Wright is a lonely writer, tapping away at her computer in her beachfront cabin. She decides to acquire a pet to keep her company, and one by one she tries a mynah bird, a monkey, a tropical fish and a cat. Each pet creates a problem of some sort that interferes with Miss Wright's work or increases her loneliness. Finally she tries a dog, a basset hound that lies quietly near her feet as the writer works. In a delightful and unexpected plot twist, the unnamed dog can read, and he becomes Miss Wright's first reader and, eventually, her editor as well. He even offers a thesaurus and a dictionary as part of his editorial advice. When Miss Wright's book is accepted for publication, writer and dog celebrate together with appropriate howls of delight. Both the story and the illustrations have a light, charming flavor, with understated humor and a sophisticated air that assumes that intelligent children will enjoy this story. The watercolor-and-ink illustrations are filled with swirling lines, and delicate, French-inspired patterns decorate borders and endpapers. The helpful hound is an endearing introduction to the role of an editor, though he really deserves a clever name of his own. (Perhaps in their next adventure...Mr. Basset Buys a Bookshop?) (Picture book. 3-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
