Review: A No-Sneeze Pet by Diana Gallagher

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Kyle and Mia are determined to help their friend, Emma, find a pet that won't make her mom sneeze. But Emma doesn't want a pet she can't cuddle, and Kyle and Mia are running out of ideas. Will they ever come up with the perfect no-sneeze pet, or is Emma out of luck?
From the Pet Friends Forever series. For ages 6-8.
* Dogs and cats are popular! One out of every three U.S. households owns a pet (72.9 million homes)
* Sweet stories that also teach kids about animal care
About the Author:
Diane G. Gallagher lives in Florida with five dogs, three cats, and a cranky parrot. A professional folk musician in the 1970s, Gallagher also wrote songs and dabbled in whimsical fantasy art in the 1980s. She is best known for her hand-colored print series, “Woof: The House Dragon,” and she won a Hugo for Best Fan Artist 1988. “The Alien Dark” (TSR1990) was her first published novel. Gallagher has written over 70 titles, including books in the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Charmed,” Smallville,” and “Star Trek” series.
About the Illustrator:
Adriana Puglisi was born in Argentina and now resides in Granada, Spain with her family. She has more than 20 years of experience as a freelance illustrator, writer, and storyteller. Her passion for stories and writing has led her to undertake various other projects parallel to her work as an illustrator and graphic designer, such as illustrating children’s stories like This is Me, published in October 2009 by Mil y 1 Cuentos (A Thousand and One Tales) and Este soy yo, as well as working for more than 20 years as a story-teller at private children’s parties, in various schools, and at Sunday schools.

MY TAKE:
I can't remember the last time I read a book about finding the perfect pet for households that have someone who is allergic to furry pets.

In A No-Sneeze Pet, Kyle and Mia, along with the help of their friends, relatives and neighbors, help Emma find a pet that she likes and her mother's allergies can tolerate.

I liked that Kyle, Mia and Emma discussed a variety of pets that fit the criteria and didn't just zero in on one type of pet right away. This way, kids who have the same issue as Emma can use this as a sort-of guide when choosing a pet. I've heard of hypo-allergenic pets before, which are specially bred to not activate allergies. That's what I was actually expecting when I first read the book. Those pets can get expensive, though, so it's good that the book went the traditional route and featured pets that are naturally hypo-allergenic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Picture Window Books for the e-ARC. Publication date of A No-Sneeze Pet is on August 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. Kids can learn about the different types of pets that don't cause allergies.
2. Kids who have allergies or family members who are allergic can get an idea of pets they can have.
3. The story doesn't feel forced.

THE BAD:

1. There might be more pet options that weren't mentioned.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

"I bet she has a stuffed animal for a pet," Mia whispered with a giggle.

READ IT IF:

1. You are looking for hypo-allergenic pets.
2. Your child likes animals.
3. You are allergic to furry animals but your child wants one.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?