Some Pets

by Angela DiTerlizzi, Brendan Wenzel (Illustrator)

The duo that brought you the “bright” and “breezy” ( Booklist ) Some Bugs is back with a vibrant companion book that’s packed with your favorite pets.

Some pets sit.
Some pets stay.
Some pets fetch,
And some pets play.

Come one, come all, to the pet show! With dogs and cats, horses and chickens, hamsters and chinchillas—and many, many more!—this book celebrates animal companions of all shapes and sizes. Who will take home the coveted Best in Show ribbon? Join the fun to find out!

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Animals, Childrens, Fiction, Dogs, Cats

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 23, 2016

About the author

Angela DiTerlizzi is a mom, wife, and author who loves writing books for children. Her picture books include Some Pets, Some Bugs, Baby Love, and Just Add Glitter. She and her husband, bestselling author/illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi, reside with their daughter in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of pets and tons of color. Very cute picture book for young kids.

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out more Picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

In this companion to Some Bugs, we head to a pet show to see whose pet won the blue ribbon! And we get to meet all sorts of pets, some that sit, some that stay, some that fetch and even some that play... What kind of pet is right for you?

It makes me really sad to say that I wasn't as impressed with this book as I was the bug book! Having a pet is so different from exploring the world of bugs... With pets there is so much responsibility and NONE of that was explored in the book. I would assume this was meant to be for a child that is a little more grown who read the original book Some Bugs but who wants to move on to animals they can interact with more (as pets...) and not just learn about their sounds and habitat.

Children already know a lot about the animals that make good pets so some of the spreads were just plain boring. My nephew really struggled to care and we ended up just flipping past rather quickly. The art didn't really even spark his interest. In fact instead of being fascinating and drawing you in most spreads were too busy. We LOVED the spreads that only featured one set of words... For example "and some pets PLAY!" with the four cats playing with a mouse was spot on! It spoke to the nature of cats and was rich but not busy... The same with the "And some pets TALK." spread with the parrot and cockatoo.

The one my nephew chose to draw with the dogs said "Some pets DROOL on their kibble!" It was so, so busy and had too much going on that had nothing to do with dogs. The costume was cute and drew my nephew to it but it said ZERO about dogs! And it said even less about how to care for a dog as a pet. Everything from the art to the words smacked of being what an adult THINKS a kid wants to hear about pets.

I wouldn't suggest this for a home library because the words don’t hold a kid’s attention, the art was too scattered and it simply read as a book an adult would want to read to a child rather than a book a child would want to read... The message of the book was thin and had nothing to do with the art or the words! It was really quite odd... I totally suggest checking it out from the library.

BOTTOM LINE: Great to read with a child looking to get a pet.

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You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Angela DiTerlizzi and illustrator Brendan Wenzel, who previously collaborated on the much-praised Some Bugs , which explored the rich insect life to be found in a child's backyard, return with this second picture-book project. Here a series of pets, all attending a pet show in the park, are profiled in rhyming text and colorful artwork. "Some pets SIT. / Some pets STAY. / Some pets FETCH. / And some pets PLAY!," this charming book begins, going on in the same vein until the conclusion, when our pets' central role as friends is highlighted.

Like its predecessor, Some Pets has an engaging sing-along narrative, with no more than a few words per page, and profuse and vividly colorful artwork, done (according to the colophon) in "almost everything imaginable." The result is a book that would make a good read-aloud, as well as a book that rewards closer perusal from individual readers. I find Wenzel's illustrations immensely appealing - they bumped this from a high three to a four-star book - they are beautiful, in their totality, but also quirky and humorous, in their many details. His creatures, with their googly eyes, are always so expressive! Recommended to all young animals lovers, as well as to anyone who read and enjoyed Some Bugs .

[Charity Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about lots of different kinds of pets. I read this during preschool storytime, and it's a great read aloud. Each spread has a lot going on in, so it's fun to have the children identify various pets and what they are doing. The kids enjoyed this one, and it prompted lots of discussion about various kinds of pets they have.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid nonfiction title for toddler or preschool storytime.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite pet name today: Sledgehammer. Guillermo the guinea pig is second.

Is it possible that I tend to read books, during, for example, the first week in May, because librarians are displaying them for the same reason, at the same time, year after year? It makes sense with books about snow, sure. But is there some May is Pet Month designation I don't know about?

Curious.

Library copy

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the author's note in the back about pet's being a big responsibility and visiting shelters, rescues, and reputable breeders.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read about some pets and the things they do. The illustrations are beautiful.

[Kayla Angeletti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute book about the simple things some animals may do such as sit, roll over, stand, nibble, etc which leads to a bigger message. This book was more on the simple side with the wording as there were about three words per page if not more. The illustrations were nice but took up all of the pages and was kind of the main attraction. I loved the message from the book too which was that no matter what an animal does or looks like, a pet can be someone's best friend! I totally agree with this book! I would recommend this book for kids who love animals!

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Some Bugs, this title provides vibrant illustrations and clever rhymes to discuss the world of pets. I really like that we get to see so many different pet options here--not just the cute and cuddly ones. Each pet appears to have their own personality as well, which is just precious. The back also gives each pet a name!

For: fans of pets of numerous types; readers looking for a book that celebrates all pets.

Possible red flags: some readers may not enjoy all the pets shown here.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

There will always be a market for books that teach toddlers ALL ABOUT things. For this book, the goal is to learn ALL ABOUT pets, culminating in a pet show.

Kids learn about pets with observations like these:

"Some pets PECK.
Some pets NIBBLE."

Illustrations are adorable. Plus, a double page at the end offers visual summaries, with labels, about the different pets in this story.

FIVE STARS for a straightforward book that's right-sized for very young readers.

[Presley Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some Pets by Angela DiTerlizzi is a fun and rhythmic picture book that celebrates all kinds of pets—from furry and scaly to big and small. The playful rhyming text and bright illustrations by Brendan Wenzel make it engaging for young readers. This book helps children learn about diversity in animals and how every pet is special in its own way. It’s perfect for classroom read-alouds, encouraging students to share about their own pets or favorite animals.

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little picture book. The illustrations are adorable. The text mostly rhymes, so it will make a fun readaloud and allow readers to do a little predicting. This will make a good lap read so younger kiddos can pore over the illustrations (especially at the beginning and end) to pick out details.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for my little preschool granddaughter to begin tackling until she can read in kindergarten. She loves the colorful verbs and the repeat of some pets. I love the illustrations and the eyes and the last few pages with all the pets and the names the owner's gave them. I would recommend this to early readers.

[Christine Irvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Angela Diterlizzi will put a smile on your face with her poem about pets, all kinds of pets. Illustrator Brendan Wenzel will put a smile on your face with his colorful, expressive and very kid-friendly text.

The back matter at the end of the book is a section called "What's the Pet?" It names all of the animals that are highlighted in the text.

[Angela Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written in a snappy beat and short lines that will keep even young kids engaged. The language is rich despite only having three words per line. (And two of them repeat in almost every line!) The illustrations are funny and help to carry the story. Overall, this is a fun and bouncy rhyming picture book that will suit pet lovers at a wide range of ages.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Love it! Love the variety of pets, the vocabulary and rhymes, the illustrations by Caldecott winner, the message about finding the right pet for your family and lifestyle at the end. Wish I knew if the named pets on the last page were actual pets from the creators, or maybe from the publishers?

[Sonya Bausinger]

This is a cute book about the difference of pets and yet how they are all the same. This book is a good beginner reader and talks about various types of pets from dogs and cats to hedgehogs and snakes. The amount of words is limited in the book, but the pictures open up a whole world of conversations.

[Pug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a regular book. Cute animals at a pet show. But I feel like I've read identical poems about pets a hundred times before.

I admit I loved the last page... Wasn't even part of the story, more like the credits! Pictures of each pet with their name. Very cute, and some funny names: there's Pancakes, Cluckers, Vittles, and Sledgehamster!
And of course a pug named Sir Winston!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the context of a chaotic pet show, simple rhymes show what some pets do. It's fun and engaging, with illustrations that bear examination. I love the last page where all the pets are named and identified, and the very, very last page that asks readers to be responsible and do research before deciding on a pet.

[Katie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ illustrations
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ writing

This is a fun simple book. Tobias (my 8 month old son) had some giggles listening to all the sounds and rhymes. It moves fast which is nice but is really simple. It’s a fun book but probably not one that we’ll read again and again. The illustrations were are simple but fun.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this several times to different groups of kids and it's always a hit. The words are easy for the kids to repeat (or even read on their own. I had an elementary student choose the book to read to a group of preschoolers) and the illustrations are lively and colorful.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, spare rhyming text is perfectly paired with Brendan Wenzel's bright, lively illustrations. This is sure to be a read-aloud hit, but make sure you have another picture book lined up afterward because this one won't take long to read.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple, fun rhyming book that highlights lots of possible pets. The illustrtions are fun and remind me a tiny bit of Eric Carle. Back matter identifies all of the animals included. The kindergarten liked this one.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Diterlizzi's prose, and she has some cool artist collaborations. This one would be good in a mix of pet/animal books, though it's pretty brief on its own. The illustrations are by far the best part!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about pets; author uses few words, focusing on “action” words throughout the story. The book ends with a variety of animals listed on a page along with information on whether they’d make good pets or not.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

During a chaotic-but fun!-pet fair, the narrator describes all the different types of pets someone could have. The one thing they have in common though...your pet is your best friend!

Storytime:
Pets

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! The illustrations are in a really unique style that I really enjoyed. Simple text, silly scenes, and lots of love for all kinds of pets. It was a wonderful beginning to my pet storytime this week!

[Anita Augustyniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think children would really enjoy this book because it is all about pets. The story is very simple and I think they would be really intrigued by the illustrations. Children can learn a lot about pets from this book and I think teachers would enjoy reading it.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet picture book, with simple text and silly cute illustrations including a wide range of pets: chinchillas, pigs, parrots, cats, goats, chameleons, and more.

Themes: pets
Ages: toddler-Kindergarten
Pub year: 2016