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The Ferret's A Foot (2011)

by Colleen A.F. Venable(Favorite Author)

3.95 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0761356290 (ISBN13: 9780761356295)

languge

English

genre

Humor

publisher

Graphic Universe

series

Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye

review 1: Booklist (May 15, 2011 (Vol. 107, No. 18))Grades 2-4. In their third case, Sasspants the guinea pig and Hamisher the hamster investigate the mysteriously changing signs on the animal cages in Mr. Venezi’s pet shop. Does it have anything to do with his “Help Wanted” sign? Sasspants suspects the new ferrets, who are the only animals whose sign doesn’t get changed every night. The Guinea PIG, Pet Shop Private Eye series continues to entertain, with cute animals, witty dialogue, and a solid mystery. Young readers will giggle over the animals’ misidentifications (chinchillas become godzillas, for instance). Back matter includes information about ferrets and a glossary of “mysterious terms.”Horn Book (Fall 2011)When the absentminded pet-store owner advertises for a... moren assistant, Sasspants the guinea pig and Hamisher the hamster fix his mixed-up signs so he won't need help. The next day the signs have been vandalized, and Sasspants reluctantly plays detective again to solve the mystery. Although the illustrations in this short graphic novel are appealing, they don't compensate for the chaotic story line.Kirkus Reviews (February 15, 2011)Sasspants, the mystery-loving guinea pig, returns to solve a new case with her faithful-perhaps too faithful-sidekick, Hamisher the hamster. Lovable-but-clueless pet-shop owner Mr. Venezi posts a help-wanted sign in the hopes he can find someone who will fix his mixed-up cage labels. The residents of Pets & Stuff are worried that too much help might hasten their being sold to different homes. Sasspants and Hamisher fix the signs themselves to forestall any new hire, but someone keeps defacing them. Prime suspects are the new, peppy ferrets, but Hamisher has learned from his mystery reading that the culprit is never the most obvious suspect. When Hamisher's sleep-deprived sleepwalking (he's trying not to be nocturnal) makes him suspect himself, Sasspants must recruit a new assistant and step up her furry investigations to find the vandal and clear Hamisher's name. It's another lighthearted caper, with much of the humor in the details; in addition to the evergreen mislabeled-cages gag, here Hamisher takes the drastic step of imprisoning himself in a hamster ball. Yue's adorable, expressive cartoon creatures ably extend Venable's humor. Aftermatter on ferrets and mystery-story vocabulary is instructive and funny. A winning graphic story all around. (Graphic mystery. 6-12)School Library Journal (May 1, 2011)Gr 2-4-This makes an amiable addition to the series. Guinea pig detective Sasspants and his manic hamster assistant, Hamisher, are among the animals living in absent-minded Mr. Venezi's pet shop. When Mr. V seeks help to run his business better, the animals get nervous-they don't want to be sold. While Pants and Hamisher try to keep the status quo, a vandal begins changing the signs on the animals' cages, making it more likely that Mr. V will hire someone. The guinea-pig detective and his partner are soon on the case, eventually discovering that not every animal is content with the pet shop as a permanent home. The mystery, while uncomplicated and dotted with humorous moments, still allows for some basic deductive reasoning as readers search for the culprit. Back matter includes more information on ferrets and a glossary of mystery terms. The soft-hued illustrations are crisp, giving off an animation look that's easy on the eyes. The panel layout is clear, but the repeated use of "talking head" close-ups does get a bit monotonous. It's unfortunate that the artist didn't break free of the grid for more wide-angle views to provide visual context. Kids who have a thing for pets (which is a sizable group) and a hankering for humor will likely take to this title.-Travis Jonker, Dorr Elementary School, MI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
review 2: This series continues to be delightfully goofy. The basic premise is that the characters are animals in the pet shop of the world's least competent pet shop owner. This explains why none of the characters ever get sold, but also leads to some surreal humor, as the owner rarely knows which animals are which. His signs and descriptions are part of the weird humor, as he sells a "zebra" that is really a parrot, and so on.In this volume, the owner is advertising for an assistant, and someone is mysteriously relabelling the cages after the animals themselves put up their own, correct labels. Thus, the "chinchilla" becomes first a "gorilla" and then a "godzilla" on the cage sign. The mysteries are cute and funny, and the resolutions properly silly. Kids won't get some of the humor on the first pass, but parents and kids will both be entertained by the end of the book. less

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