Much to Abby's dismay, once she brings Mr. Nibbles, the hamster, home, he won't let her feed him or even pet him. Of course, Tess steps in to take over. This book, fourth in the series, displays the growing abilities of its writer. From Abby's frustration with Tess's jumping into the street without looking at the story's opening, to Tess's tears at the end of the story because Abby ignores her, the girls are portrayed realistically. The events of the story move along quickly with lots of momentum.
Conversations are realistic.
A family meal introduces the traditional lifestyle of the girls and their parents. While the setting of the story isn't vivid, it is, at least, somewhat visible. The book could be used in classrooms where a discussion of sibling relationships was being carried on, or it could be recommended to students who have problems, either with an older or younger sibling. It would also be interesting in classrooms that have hamsters or other pets. Saskatchewan's Linda Aksomitis worked in K-12 school libraries for a decade before becoming an author herself.