The Cutest Pet Ever

Billie B Brown #15

by Sally Rippin

The Billie B Brown adventures are perfect for girls who are desperate to begin reading but are bored by daggy school readers!  Billie has found the most adorable guinea pig in the pet shop. She is going to love it forever! If only she can convince her mum and dad...

Genres: Childrens

22 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

Sally Rippin was born in Darwin, but grew up mainly in South-East Asia. As a young adult she lived in China for three years, studying traditional Chinese painting. Sally has over seventy books published, many of them award-winning, including two novels for young adults. Her most recent work includes the highly acclaimed children’s novel Angel Creek and the popular Billie B Brown books, which became the highest selling series for 6-8 year olds in Australia within the first year of their release. Sally is Australia’s highest selling female author and her Billie B Brown books have sold more than 4.5 million copies in 14 languages.
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Sally is a popular presenter in schools and at literary festivals both in Australia and overseas and has a regular program on 3RRR interviewing children’s authors and industry professionals. She is a passionate ambassador for the 100 Story Building creative writing centre for marginalized youth and has mentored many emerging writers and illustrators. Recently, she and her partner co-founded Story Peddlers, a hand-made performance tent that packs away into a custom-built bike, with the aim of bringing back the art of the roving storyteller.

Reviews

[Australian_book_worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book it was about a girl who was always getting lonely so she asked for a pet . First her parents said no. But then they went to the shops and they went to the pet shop and she found a guinea pig. But her mum says maybe later because her baby brother is hungry. She helped her mum a lot. So they went back to the pet shop but the guinea pig was gone . So they went home and it turns out they actually got it for her but her dad secretly got it for. It was a surprise when they got home . She was so happy

[Sonya Bright]

It's so easy to see the appeal of this series for kids. It's all about child characters behaving like real children - but the characters are just a little bit older than the targeted readers, which adds to their appeal. It gives readers something to aspire to without being preached at.

This is one of those Billie instalments where her best friend Jack is mentioned but does not appear.

I loved the humour of Billie picturing the different pets her parents suggest when they won't get her what she wants. Kids will love it.

And, as with some other books in the series, I love the casual gender equality of the father baking in the kitchen.

Another good point: Billie is always looking out for her brother even after she's upset with him. More good messaging without preaching.

I did guess the twist at the end, which was no big deal (you wouldn't want an unhappy ending!), but this more-than-a-decade-old book does have an attitude to pet shops that isn't particularly accepted anymore. It's the only negative in another fun addition to the series.

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billie B Brown is a typical, emotional, and needy little girl. She does love her brother Noah. There are times that she is so bored while he and mum are having a nap. Billie decides if she had a pet, she would never be bored again, but Dad says no.

When her mum takes her to the shops with Noah, Billie helps out. Mum takes her into the pet shop and she sees the cutest guinea pig ever. They go to finish the shopping and when they get back to the pet shop the guinea pig is gone.

Billie is too sad to talk on the way home. Luckily Dad has a surprise for her when he gets home.

As always with Sally Rippin's books the children can identify with Billie B's emotions.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 'The Cutest Pet Ever', Billie has found the most adorable guinea pig in the pet shop. She is going to love it forever. She just needs to convince her mum and dad ...

Written by the Australian Children’s Laureate Sally Rippin, Billie B Brown is proving to be the perfect first chapter-book series for my six-year-old. They love the bold, brilliant Billie and how she uses her imagination to tackle each new challenge.

[Wan Rasyidah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cutest Book Ever.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sally Rippin, “Billie B Brown: The Cutest Pet Ever” (​​Prahran, Victoria, Aust: Hardie Grant Egmont, 2012).
“She knows exactly what she needs. A pony!” (p5)
“Can you guess what it is? It's a guinea pig! And it's the cutest guinea pig Billie has ever seen.” (p27)

[Mona · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cutest Book Ever