Oh, Theodore!: Guinea Pig Poems

Oh, Theodore! has turned out to be a wonderful surprise. I picked it up at the library on a whim and the kids have just adored it. (They are currently 7 and 9.) The book consists of series of small, kid-friendly poems that tell the story of a sweet friendship between a boy and his Guinea Pig. The poems start out whimsically, covering various aspects of life with pigs. There's no obvious direction until Theodore goes missing. Then it became clear that as a whole the poems tell a story. (By the way, don't worry, it all ends on a happy note.) Here's one of the poems that always leaves my son giggling: THEO-DOOR Open the kitchen door. Theodore sits. Open the cupboard door. Theodore sits. But open the refrigerator door. Here comes Theodore. Well, I'm sure if you've ever been around a guinea pig, you'll understand the context of this little poem. Guinea Pigs will 'wheet' at the prospect of lettuce and other treats, and they are certainly smart enough to figure out where that good stuff comes from. Wrap Up::: In the current back seat pile, Oh, Theodore! reigns supreme as the book most fought over. And indeed it's a delightful book of short poems that children who like guinea pigs ought to enjoy. Stacey Schuett's illustrations are warm and inviting. The verses are written in kid-friendly language with the mood running from goofy to happy to sad. A variety of topics are covered; everything from feeding and playing, to washing and cleaning bowls and water bottles. This latter might be used to emphasize the responsibility of owning a pet like Theodore. And certainly having poems to memorize and recite can be a great way to practice memorizing and reading skills. Pam T~ mom and guinea pig lover

I came across this book in our elementary school media center and just had to have my own copy for the classroom. This is a delightful poetry book about a little boy's pet guinea pig. It's free verse poetry which fit very nicely into our poetry writing unit. The first and second grade students in my class loved the poems and the illustrations. Great book for poetry unit in elementary.

I completely disagree with the Booklist Review. Guinea pigs are very interactive pets and the author was not stretching at all. Apparently, the person that wrote that review has never had a guinea pig. It felt like this book was about my guinea pig it was so spot on. The only disagreement that I had with this book was the picture of the apple slice with the seeds in it. The seeds are poisonous and should never be given to pigs or people. Other than that, I thought it was wonderful! So cute and funny! :)

My daughter doesn't remember a time without 'pigs'. And this made the perfect christmas gift to a 6 year old whose favorite furry friends crave kale. Thank you for a wonderful tribute to our gentle cavies.