8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos - (Twitch the Squirrel) by Vivian Vande Velde (Paperback)

About the Book

While trying to excape from a hungry owl, Twitch the squirrel roused the principal's dog and got chased into a school. Now he's locked in! Can the other school pets save Twitch from the crazed canine? In this hilarious chapter book, a group of small animals manage to turn an elementary school into a real zoo.

Book Synopsis

Running into the school to escape a hungry owl was easy. But with the door locked and an angry dog chasing him, how will Twitch the squirrel get back out?

He'll need a hand, of course. . . . and maybe a paw, a fin, and a wing, too. Can the classroom pets--including Sweetie the library rat, a snake named Angel, and the first graders' Green Eggs and Hamster--help Twitch get back to his cozy home in the trees?

Each chapter is told in the voice of a different animal as the squirrel works his way through the school, visiting each classroom and trying to stay one step ahead of the principal's menacing dog, Cuddles. The different perspectives make this a perfect introduction to narrative point-of-view--and an extra-funny read-aloud.

Lively black and white illustrations add to the humor, depicting Twitch's mad dash through the school and the chaos created by a band of class pets on the loose. With short, funny chapters, young readers will race through this novel to find out what the pets do next.

For more of Twitch's adventures, check out Squirrel in the House and Squirrel in the Museum.

Review Quotes

"Middle-grade teachers will find this a good model for introducing diverse prose styles."--Booklist

"Occasional pen-and-ink spot illustrations add energy to an already high-octane story. A whole lot of fun."--Kirkus Reviews

"Björkman's slightly scratchy black-and-white illustrations effectively echo the text's light, comic tone, and they successfully serve to punctuate, but never interrupt, the narrative flow. This will be an easy sell to animal lovers and those looking for a quick, funny read, but it also sits up and begs to be read aloud; creative adults and kids might also be able to develop it into a comedic readers' theater production." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"this beginning chapter book will appeal to reluctant readers, and it is a good read-aloud."--School Library Journal

About the Author

Vivian Vande Velde is the author of more than twenty books for children and young adults. She has received an Edgar Award, five of her novels have been named Best Books for Young Adults by the ALA, and 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos was nominated for seven state awards. She lives in Rochester, New York. You can visit her website at www.vivianvandevelde.com.

Steve Björkman has illustrated many picture books, chapter books, and greeting cards. He illustrated both 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos and Squirrel in the House, the two earlier books about Twitch. He lives in Aliso Viejo, California. His website is www.stevebjorkman.com.