What Pet Should I Get?

What Pet Should I Get?

Written by Dr. Suess

Random House, 2015, Ages 3-10

What Pet Should I Get? is a story of how two children, a brother and sister, were given a task to pick out only one pet they want, and their dad would pay for it. Their parents told them to be home by noon, which means they did not have too much time to make a decision, but they had to, or else, they would not take home a pet. The children had a hard time making up their minds because they liked all of the pets in the pet store, and they could only get one. They had to think about how their house was small which meant that a small pet would be suitable, however, a flexible pet they thought could work too. The ending was left at that they got one pet, but the pet they got was never revealed. 

The author, Dr. Seuss, is a famous writer of rhyming children's books with amazing illustrations. His famous rhyming was again used in this story. Also, Dr. Seuss left the ending a mystery of which pet they got so that the readers reading this story will have to make educated guesses to enhance their thinking and decision making skills. 

The cover of What Pet Should I Get? is illustrated with a cartoon picture of a boy looking at four different types of pets while petting a cat. This illustrates that he is in search for a pet at the pet store perhaps. All of the illustrations throughout the story were somewhat unrealistic in some instances. They were all cartoon drawings with a fun side which all contained many colors consisting of a base of blue, yellow and black. 

This children's book can be read to students of all ages to help them with decision making and mind making up. It shares how one's mind cannot be made up on the spot when it comes to a hard decision. This book is about how one makes a decision with using background knowledge of that they like and what criteria the subject or thing may need in order to work best in their final decision. Such simple words in a small picture book can create a huge meaning toward one’s life necessities. 

Review by Hannah Schnaterbeck