If I Had a Gryphon

November 23, 2015
Already bored with her new hamster, a girl with ochre skin, rosy cheeks, and square-framed glasses imagines life with an array of mythological creatures as pets. VanSickle (Summer Days, Starry Nights) and Atkinson (To the Sea) have a blast envisioning the possibilities, revealing the pros and cons of each monster. A handsome lavender unicorn would mean prancing through fields of flowers and snacking on nectarines, but they can also be shy (Atkinson shows the girl and her friends looking unimpressed as the horse cowers under the bed). A hippogriff—whose bird half is more blue jay than eagle—doesn’t do well at the dog park, “Kirin needs a field of grass/ At least an ocean wide,” and “Jackalope needs sturdy reins/ for bumpy, jumpy rides.” VanSickle’s rhymes are unflaggingly exuberant as the girl puts up with noisy harpies, biting chupacabras, and mischievous fairies, and Atkinson fills the pages with visual comedy. In one of the funniest scenes, a dopey-looking kraken grins innocently as its tentacles snag an ocean liner and a rather perturbed whale. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Sally Harding, Cooke Agency.

March 1, 2016

K-Gr 2-Every child wants a pet, but most are oblivious to the attendant responsibilities. While many dream of owning a dog or cat, others want something different. In this fun tale, after reading a book on mythological creatures, a girl dreams of having a pet with exotic powers. As she contemplates her special pet-mulling over a variety of creatures including a unicorn, hippogriff, sasquatch, gryphon, mermaid, and basilisk-she realizes that although fantastical creatures are wonderful to read about, they might not fit well into her life and modern society: "Harpies are too screechy;/Chupacabras like to bite./Fairies play too many tricks/And kelpies hate the light." As the story progresses, the little girl spends less time enjoying her pet and more time managing their unusual behavior. By the end, she decides that a hamster, although it spends a lot of time sleeping and eating, is actually just about right because "I am his and he is mine/And that's enough for me." Vansickle uses catchy and clever rhymes to move the story briskly along, while Atkinson captures perfectly the mounting frustration and dismay of the resourceful but increasingly dispirited heroine. The story ends with a twist, and the final wordless page suggests that maybe even an ordinary pet will have surprises for its owner. VERDICT A great read-aloud that will get children excited to learn about the amazing creatures that can be found within the pages of a book.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2015
An imaginative little girl dreams of an exotic pet. Sam, who wears big square glasses and a serious expression, just got a hamster, her first pet. He mostly sleeps and eats, she notes, "and gets his shavings wet." She is far from impressed. Why can't she have a unicorn? They'd "prance through fields of posies," and she could "shine her horn with candy corn." Or what about a hippogriff? He might scare the dogs in the dog park. A pet sasquatch could be fun (except for combing out its snarled fur), or what about flying on the back of a gryphon? If she had a kraken, she could go on deep-sea dives. A kirin needs acres of grass, a jackalope requires "sturdy reins for bumpy, jumpy rides." If Sam had a dragon, she'd probably need a fire extinguisher, and a manticore would require intensive dental care. What about a harpy? Too screechy. A basilisk? Too slippery. Mermaids brush their hair all day, fairies play too many tricks, kelpies are hard to catch. Sam looks at her hamster again, staring at her with big bright eyes, cute tiny feet, and a furry belly. Just right after all. VanSickle delivers lean, bouncy verse and an impressive array of offbeat creatures, while Atkinson's illustrations are bold and hint at dynamic motion. Sam is depicted as a bespectacled, dark-skinned girl with long, brown hair and wearing plaid flannel. Brisk and bright, if a tad one-dimensional. (Picture book. 5-7)

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July 1, 2016
A child considers the mythical pet alternatives to a boring hamster, imagining the fun one could have with unicorns, hippogriffs, dragons, etc., but also, with escalating absurdity, their drawbacks ("Manticore needs special floss"). This well-designed, rhyming flight of fancy offers a laugh-out-loud take on pet-owning responsibilities. Brightly hued digital illustrations humorously render child, creatures, and observers with infectious energy and vivid emotion.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)