Geckos

Describes how to select a pet gecko, what to feed it, and when to take it to the vet, as well as how to keep a pet scrapbook.

Reviewed with June McNicholas' Rats.

Gr. 4-8. These titles in the Keeping Unusual Pets series offer solid advice for middle-graders interested in the world of pets that extends beyond cats and dogs. Both titles address the animals' physical traits among species (making the important distinction in Rats between wild and domesticated animals). Subsequent spreads offer clear, sharp insight into the animals' habits; choosing a pet; the pros and cons of living with it; feeding, handling, and keeping it clean; and keeping a record of its behavior. The casual, sometimes colloquial language, bright color photos, and busy but attractive layouts filled with fact boxes and charts will engage children reading for pleasure, but there's plenty of depth to support short reports. Best of all are the frank details that will give kids a real sense of living with the animals--among them, the close-up photo of a healthy rat's feces and the reminder that owners should prepare themselves for their rat's short life span. A valuable, accessible resource for children contemplating animal ownership. Gillian Engberg
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