No Plain Pets!

"No Plain Pets" is written by Marc Ian Barasch and illustrated by Henrik Drescher and together, they make this book both surreal and funny at the same time. The book starts out with a little, wild-haired boy who tells his mother that he wants a pet. Of course, his mother agrees with him and decides to buy the boy a pet. But, before the mother buys the boy a pet, the boy starts stating that he does not want a pet with a "parakeet brain," but a pet that is very unusual from normal pets. The boy then starts listing various pets that he wants to own such as, a gorilla, a flying fish, a giant lizard, and eventually, an imaginary creature with six legs sticking out of its head, until he decides that he just want a pet to love in the end. Marc Ian Barasch's witty rhyming text is both funny and creative at the same time. Barasch narrates in first person as he is describing the story from the boy's point of view and therefore, makes this book seem like it is coming out of a child's wild imagination. Henrik Drescher's illustrations further detail the surrealism in the boy's imagination as he draws each character in a comic book fashion and wildly paints various colors in the background to make this seem like a neo color world. One memorable illustration probably has to be the image of the imaginary creature with six legs sticking out of its head and having a smiley face implanted on its belly. "No Plain Pets" is an instant treat for readers who enjoy surrealism and imagination.

Drescher's zany colorful illustrations make this book come to life. The rhyming text is fun, too. A boy unleashes his dreams of having a fantastic nontraditional pet, but in the end he'll settle for one that is all his own. A great book for parents and kids who appreciate off-beat original illustration.