If I Had a Gryphon
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Sam just got a hamster for a pet. But the hamster is kind of boring ... he just eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. Inspired by her book of mythological creatures, Sam longs for a more exciting pet. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she thought. Sasquatches are messy, unicorns are shy, hippogriffs scare the dogs at the dogpark, and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. In the end, Sam realizes that her hamster is a pretty sweet and safe pet ... or is he?
If I Had a Gryphon is a raucous rhyming read-aloud about fantastical beasts in everyday situations--and the increasingly beleaguered heroine who has to deal with them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Already bored with her new hamster, a girl with ochre skin, rosy cheeks, and square-framed glasses imagines life with an array of mythological creatures as pets. VanSickle (Summer Days, Starry Nights) and Atkinson (To the Sea) have a blast envisioning the possibilities, revealing the pros and cons of each monster. A handsome lavender unicorn would mean prancing through fields of flowers and snacking on nectarines, but they can also be shy (Atkinson shows the girl and her friends looking unimpressed as the horse cowers under the bed). A hippogriff whose bird half is more blue jay than eagle doesn't do well at the dog park, "Kirin needs a field of grass/ At least an ocean wide," and "Jackalope needs sturdy reins/ for bumpy, jumpy rides." VanSickle's rhymes are unflaggingly exuberant as the girl puts up with noisy harpies, biting chupacabras, and mischievous fairies, and Atkinson fills the pages with visual comedy. In one of the funniest scenes, a dopey-looking kraken grins innocently as its tentacles snag an ocean liner and a rather perturbed whale. Ages 3 7.
