Children Make Terrible Pets

PreS-Gr 2—Animation, music, and perfect narration turn Peter Brown's delightful tale (Little, Brown, 2010) into a funnier and even more charming story. One day, Lucy Bear finds the most adorable little boy in the forest and names him Squeaker because of the noises he makes. She persuades her mother to let her keep him, even though she's warned that "Children make terrible pets. Things go well at first and Lucy and Squeaker do everything together. However, true to Mother Bear's words, Squeaker soon misbehaves, wrecks furniture, and refuses to use a litter box. When the little boy disappears, Lucy tracks him down and discovers that he has a home and family, and doesn't seem like a pet at all. Songs and musical accompaniment perfectly reflect the mood. The delightful characters cavort across the screen, and when trouble ensues discordant piano crashes reinforce Lucy's bad mood. The camera zooms and pans sections of pages that are fully animated, yet remain true to Brown's original pencil, construction paper, and digital illustrations. Narrator Emily Eiden's voice perfectly reflects Lucy—a bear in a pink tutu and hair bow. With distinct and appropriate voices for each character, her enthusiasm and expression are captivating and infectious. The story ends with a goofy song and an interview with Peter Brown in which he explains his inspiration for the story and how the characters evolved. Terrific animation, wonderful narration, and exuberant music make this a new classic, and a favorite to be watched again and again. Producers Paul Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard won the 2012 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video for this superb production.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Binghamton, NY