There’s a reason this book caught my eye for Perfect Picture Book Fridays:

Enzo the Wonderfish
Written and Illustrated by Cathy Wilcox
Ticknor & Fields Books for Young Readers
Published 1994, Copyright 1993

Suitable for: Ages 5 and up

Theme/Topic: Fish, Animals, Pet Ownership, Responsibility

Opening: I had always wanted a pet. A pet, not quite as smart as me, That I could feed and care for and pat.”

Brief Synopsis: A child who wants a pet is given a fish and vows to train him to do wonderful trick. (Have I ever mentioned how I love the Library of Congress summaries for books. This one is spot on.)

Link to Resources: Lessons on pet ownership from National Pet Week. Do what Hubby does and take your child to the pet store. There’s no entrance fee like the zoo and you can see many animals up close and discuss the things needed to own the pet, food, and the costs of pet ownership.

Why I like this book: As I zipped through the library last Saturday Enzo free, the title caught my eye as I whizzed by a shelf. My son loves going to the pet store to look at the animals. Now he asks, “How do we get one?” when he sees an animal he likes. While I picked it up for the title, it’s a fun read and a twist on pet ownership. The last few pages have a lot of tension as the fate of Enzo the Wonderfish was in question. It definitely surprised me.

Ouch, I read a bit of the Publishers Weekly review found on the Amazon link to the this book. I agree the beginning was a bit “long winded.” Still it’s a fun book, if you can find it at your library.

For more Perfect Picture Books, check out Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.