SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

April 18, 2011 by Travis Jonker

Review: A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmid

April 18, 2011 by Travis Jonker   8 comments

A Pet for Petunia
By Paul Schmid
Harper (HarperCollins)
ISBN: 9780061963315
$12.99
Grades K-2
In Stores

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

*Best New Books*

Playing opposites is a common occurrence in children’s literature. Little Pea, Bedtime for Mommy, and Children Make Terrible Pets are but a few recent examples of a concept with a long history. The act of reversing expectations can be delightful (and often hilarious) stuff for youngsters. A Pet for Petunia takes this contrary approach and applies it to a little girl pining for a new pet (itself a familiar childhood experience). The results are not to be missed.

There is one thing Petunia wants. A cute little pet skunk. She begs her parents for one, promising to provide walks and litter box duty for her pet-to-be. Petunia’s request is denied on account of, you know, the terrible smell. Our heroine, convinced her parents are crazy, flees for the woods in hopes of changing her their minds. There she runs into an honest-to-goodness skunk…and learns what her parents were talking about. The final page, introducing a porcupine as Petunia’s next fixation, will leave readers grinning.

The simple text and broad humor make A Pet for Petunia a prime read aloud candidate. As I was reading, I found myself working out how I would deliver the text to a group of kids. I took this to be a good sign.

The spare illustrations give off a simple, childish vibe that suits the story well. Negative space plays a key role, with minimal backgrounds and plenty of white space. The color palatte is a limited purple, black, and gold.

Really, isn’t the unexpected more fun? A Pet for Petunia proves it.  This is a book you should get your hands on.

Review copy from publisher

Click here to read an excellent interview with Paul Schmid at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

Watch the book trailer for A Pet for Petunia:

Also reviewed by A Fuse #8 Production, the excelsior file.

Find this book at your local library with WorldCat.

Filed under: *Best New Books*, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
HarperCollinsPicture Bookreview

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

October 2021

Review: The Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin

by Travis Jonker

February 2021

Review: Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd

by Travis Jonker

August 2020

Review: Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

by Travis Jonker

July 2020

Review: Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright

by Travis Jonker

April 2020

Review: The Sewer Rat Stink (Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel #1) by Tom Angleberger

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Surprise! Announcing CABOOSE

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Jump Into this Guest Post by Shadra Strickland About Her Latest Book: Jump In!

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Kiss Number 8 | Review

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

What’s Coming in 2023, A Feedback Poll, and Goodbye for Now…

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

WRITING FOR YOURSELF FIRST, a guest post by author M. K. Lobb

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Luminous Review, Twitter Exodus, and a Thoughtful Airport Encounter | Readers Respond

The hOle Story: Kids’ Books Come to Life on a Giant Scale at a New Kansas City Venue

Truth Teller, A. S. King | The Year in SLJ Covers

Ellen Oh, Linda Sue Park, and Ami Polonsky Speak Out Against Censorship at Florida School Board Meeting

Changing the Narrative | The Year in SLJ Covers

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margie Culver says

    April 18, 2011 at 8:06 am

    Just reading your review has me planning exactly how I will read this aloud. It’s on my purchase list!

  2. Kerry Reed says

    April 18, 2011 at 11:05 am

    This looks adorable and I trust it will be a crowd pleaser. However, I can’t help but wonder if the anticipated and expected outcome isn’t perpetuating a myth.

    I just finished rereading Jean Craighead George’s The Tarantual in My Purse where she dedicates a chapter to her children’s pet skunk (her 2nd) and declares that skunks are wonderful pets. They are very cat like and only spray when in mortal danger. Maybe it’s time for a fresh approach to skunks (pun intended!)

    • Travis says

      April 18, 2011 at 4:13 pm

      You bring up a good point, Kerry – the Fuse #8 Production review that I link to above touches a bit on the reality of skunks as pets.

  3. Paul Schmid says

    April 20, 2011 at 12:41 pm

    Thanks Travis for the nice review, so glad you liked the book!
    Paul

    • Travis says

      April 21, 2011 at 12:21 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Paul!

  4. Annalisa Hall says

    May 9, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    bought. read. love it!

  5. Wendy Wahman says

    July 5, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    Oh, Petunia, I love her. I have this book and am looking forward to seeing (and buying) all Paul’s books!

  6. Katie says

    January 7, 2014 at 6:56 pm

    I love children’s books that involve pets. I recently picked up a used copy of Timid Timothy, which was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. This story sounds like a fun and quirky read.

    I am sure that skunks could make wonderful pets…for the right people that know about their special needs. I think most people would try to treat them like a cat and it would not work out so well. I have a Beanie Baby skunk, and that is probably the closest i will come to having a skunk in my house.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023