A quirky and sweet search for the perfect pet.

A silly couple adopts a lot of silly animals in their search for the perfect pet -- something soft and waggy. Children will probably have more patience than I for the sheer number of wrong choices made before hitting on the obvious one. ( )

This is one of those reads, which offers delightful fun and wraps it in a comforting atmosphere of goodness.

Mr. and Mrs. Gargleson-Bittle live in a nice house and have a nice life together, but something seems to be missing. After contemplation, they decide it should be something which to play with and and chase around and...they end up with a snail. They do like their snail, but something still seems to be missing. Something bigger. So, they adopt an elephant. And so the tale continues.

The awkward feeling of wanting-something-but-not-knowing-what-it-is comes across clearly and hits with familiarity. Although Mr. and Mrs. Gargleson-Bittle are adults, young readers will recognize the issue and sink right into their problem. Then, the giggles begin. Unexpected pet after unexpected pet slam in with extremes and make it clear that this couple is anything but normal. They have huge hearts, tons of patience, and enjoy every animal they get. The goodness mixes with the silliness to create a couple, which readers will wish they could live next to and visit as much as possible.

Then, there are the animals. These come across especially well in the illustrations. The gentle lines and colors fits amazingly well to the chaos. It keeps emotions and warmth high, while the ridiculous parade of creatures comes in one after the other. This creates a masterful balance between humor and heart to make it a read to be visited again and again. And again. I received a DRC and was completely won over. ( )