Book Description
for Bruno and Titch by Sheena Dempsey
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
The development of a human-pet relationship is narrated from a guinea pig’s perspective after Bruno brings Titch home from the pet store. Day One demands tolerance from Titch, as Bruno tries to feed him a boy-centric meal, followed by alarming forms of play, like trampoline jumping (“Bouncing-Very-High Game”) and toy-train riding (“Going-Very-Fast Game”). But soon Bruno proves to be an observant and thoughtful pet owner, although Titch worries when he stops playing to focus on sketching plans and working with hammer and nails. Is Bruno bored with him? Will he take him back to the store? Instead, Bruno reveals a “guinea-pig palace,” complete with a fruit-salad bar, a perfectly sized makeshift Jacuzzi, and a hammock located conveniently in a celery garden. Lighthearted pen and watercolor illustrations capture the full range of Titch’s guinea pig emotions, including his contentment with having finally found his own ideal “Big Person.” (Ages 4–8)
CCBC Choices 2015. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2015. Used with permission.