Guest Author - Denise Lacazette

Hamsters, Vietnamese Pot-Belly Pigs, and Goldfish are featured in these children’s books by Trina Wiebe. Each book tells a tale of two little girls’ “mis”adventures while pet-sitting exotic animals. This series is geared for ages 7-9.

Hamsters Don’t Glow In the Dark – Book 4 in the Series

Hamsters Don’t Glow In the Dark is a delightful book for children. The characters, Tess and Abby, are very realistic in their actions and interactions - these pet caretakers are definitely NOT perfect. Their actions are exactly what you would expect of children at that age caring for pets. The book is laced with clues about hamster behavior. It also gives factual information in an easy-to-understand matter-of-fact way. I like the fact that the main character of the story, Abby, has a book about hamsters that she refers to. This is definitely a story I can relate to having had a hamster at that age myself. Definitely a fun read and editor recommended.

Piglets Don’t Watch Television – Book 3 in the Series

Piglets Don’t Watch Television is a cute story. Abby and Tess are babysitting a Vietnamese Potbelly Pig in this adventure. While it contains less factual information than other books in this series, it does illustrate some of the delightful quirkiness of pet pigs. What I really like about this particular book is how she finds out information via the internet. The use of a search engine and differing terms are used to help her discover information on this particular pet’s care. Definitely a fun read and a useful tool for kids on learning an alternate method of pet care research.

Goldfish Don’t Take Bubble Baths – Book 1 in the Series

Goldfish Don’t Take Bubble Baths is a wonderful story. The first book in the series introduces Abby and Tess, the main characters. Their first “mis”adventure in pet-sitting is with a pair of goldfish. Younger children often want to “help” – especially with animal care – and this story is an excellent example of what can happen when they do not feel involved. Tess helps out when Abby is not looking. There is some factual information about goldfish and the way Abby remedies Tess’s mistake is excellent in its detail. Goldfish Don’t Take Bubble Baths is a good read and introduction to this interesting series.

You can find these books at Amazon.com - Abby and Tess Pet-Sitters Books