Babysitter’s Review: A Puppy, Not a Guppy by Holly Jahangiri

By admin | December 17, 2009

In the first of what will be a series of “Babysitter Approved” book reviews by my newly certified 12 year old babysitter in residence, here is a review of Holly Jahangiri’s new children’s book, A Puppy, Not a Guppy.

As a new babysitter, I’m always looking for ways to entertain the neighborhood kids that I sit for. Across the street are 5 year old twins who I watch sometimes. A Puppy, Not a Guppy is a very cute book that I’m sure they will love.

The story is about a little girl named Irma who wants a puppy, but her parents won’t let her have one. Her friend has a bunch of pets including a pregnant guppy. When he tells her that he will have to flush the baby guppies down the toilet, she feels bad for them and agrees to take them.

At first she thinks they are boring. They don’t do anything. But later she discovers they are not as boring as she thought. She thinks of one of the fish as a slowpoke but with her mom’s help decides to name him Lightning, hoping that he’ll live up to his name. I don’t want to give too much away but I think kids will be excited to learn that a pet guppy is trainable, if you are very patient! Parents will be happy because their kids may want a pet that’s easier to take care of.

I think little kids will really like this story because it is cute and funny. Irma seems like a lot of kids I know. She’s a little grumpy when her parents won’t let her get a puppy, but she doesn’t throw a tantrum and that’s a good lesson for little kids to learn. My little sister wants a kitten and my parents won’t get her one, but unlike Irma she HAS thrown a tantrum (more than one). Maybe guppies would be a good idea for her. She could name one Kitty, ha ha!

The illustrations in the book are very cute- even kids as old as I am will enjoy them, especially the guppies. And at the end of the book there are some fun and surprising fish facts- stuff even I didn’t know.