Bea Reviews My Tiny Pet by Jessie Hartland

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 6th, 2019
Recommended Age: 4+
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Blurb from goodreads:

A witty celebration of the tiny tardigrade, a microscopic creature that looks like a bear

Living in a tiny house has one huge drawback--no space for pets. So when a little girl's parents announce that it's time for the family to simplify, downsizing from a huge home in the city to a tiny house in the woods, it's quite a blow--after all, she's grown quite fond of her pet poodles, cats, tarantula, snake, hedgehogs, mice, birds, fish, octopus, rabbits, pony, pig, and turtles. Fortunately, she finds them all good homes, and she has to admit that she enjoys her new simpler life. 


There's just one thing: She still really wants just one pet. 


At first the answer is no. But using a little scientific savvy, she finds one that could be just the right fit--how could anyone turn down a pet smaller than an ant's eye that doesn't need special food or toys or walking, and will always be small enough to squeeze into their home, no matter how much they downsize?

Jessie Hartland creatively blends fantasy and science in a far-out story that bursts with exuberance. Her whimsical art celebrates one very thoughtful, persistent little girl and introduces readers to the tiny tardigrade, with its fascinating array of survival skills.

My Thoughts:

A little girl who loves animals and has dozens, of a wide variety, for pets + parents who want to simplify and downsize = conflict and unhappiness. The parents give away all of the animals to good homes, sell their huge house, and move out of town to a small house in the woods. But their daughter still wants a pet. In school she learns about a being that just might satisfy both the girl and her parents.

"My Tiny Pet" was a sweet story that carefully wove science and ecology into a story about a child's desire for a pet and her work to respect her parents wishes. It was good to see responsible pet care emphasized throughout the story. I had heard of tardigrades before but knew nothing about them so I was pleased to learn new information while enjoying the story. I admit, I have doubts about whether most children would be satisfied with tardigrades, who are essentially invisible, as a pet but it's an intriguing concept. The artwork is a little busy, due in part to lots of details in the pictures, but it's vivid and enjoyable.

"My Tiny Pet" was a little unusual but interesting.