Guinea Pigs

by Jinny Johnson

Helps children to understand their pets by explaining their behaviour and needs

Genres: Animals

Hardcover

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish a book like this was around when I was given my first guinea pig when I was very young (so young, I can't remember when, but probably when I was about five, which is really too young for a kid to have a pet.) This book is for both kids and adults, with a glossary and bibliography, including websites such as Guinea Lynx, which are still around.

This was a very well organized book, giving a lot of information in very little space. Each page has at least one illustration, main core text, and a colored box for mini-factoids. The book is generously illustrated with full color photos and decent drawings by Bill Donohue. Unfortunately, he coukd only work with a very limited color palette and no shading, which makes his guinea pigs look very flat.

There were a few errors, such as a drawing of a smooth haired guinea pig being labeled as an Abyssinian, and that it's "rare to catch a guinea pig sleeping." Heck, I caught them sleeping every day. It also stated that guinea pigs can live outdoors in hutches -- but then gave a long list of requirements before getting the hutch. It would've been easier to just say no to hutches.

This book doesn't shy away from some topics you won't find in other kid's books on guinea pigs, such as poop eating and how to sex a guinea pig.

[Tanya Wadley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about guinea pigs for children.