Lillian's Fish
Grade 3-4?It's Lillian's sixth birthday and, in keeping with the tradition set with her brothers Tim, Tom, Tod, Tad, Ted, Troy, and William, her gift is her very own pet. The arrival of this new creature is of great concern to the other animals; each one is afraid that it will no longer be the only horse, or the only goat, or the only dog, or the only cat, or the only bird, or the only turtle, or the only spider in the family. All are relieved to see Lillian's beautiful rainbow-colored fish, which is quickly accepted into the menagerie. Its sudden disappearance, therefore, is met with considerable dismay and anxiety by the other animals, who quickly set out on a quest to find their missing friend. The siblings then set out on a quest of their own to find their pets. Although the premise is good, the promise is never fulfilled. Both characterization and plot are weak and the repetitive style becomes cumbersome to read. Children who know Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little will be disappointed when they don't find the expected strong characters and story line.?Lynda Short, The Lexington School, KYCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.