Gr 1—3—Mr. Walnut might just be the meanest pet shop owner in the world. His shop is dark and cold, and the animals' cages are dirty and small. The townspeople complain among themselves, but no one has the courage to confront the overbearing man. One day young Mina's rabbit disappears, and the child is convinced that Mr. Walnut has her. With the help of Bobo, a local delivery boy, brave Mina devises a plan to free all of the animals. Although Mr. Walnut longs to recapture them, he harbors a dark secret that prevents him from leaving his store. After days of isolation in the empty, gloomy shop, the man has a change of heart, which inspires a plan. Ultimately Mina, Bobo, and all of the animals pitch in to help him turn his dreary pet shop into a big, bright toy factory. This intriguing and thought-provoking tale skillfully illustrates the benevolence that is born when one walks in the shoes of another. It may also generate some activist thinking among young readers who may not have considered the dismal lives of caged animals. Juan's beautifully stylized and deeply expressive acrylic and colored pencil drawings perfectly capture the somber tone that prevails throughout most of the book and provide a suitable contrast for the upbeat ending.—Debbie Lewis, Alachua County Library District, FL
When Mr. Walnut kidnaps her rabbit, Mina sneaks into his dreadful pet shop and liberates all the animals. Left by himself, nasty Mr. Walnut changes his ways and decides to create plush animals; his depressing pet shop becomes a cheerful toy store. Imaginative illustrations add amusing touches--such as Mr. Walnut's exaggerated bushy eyebrows--to this wordy but quirky and agreeably bizarre tale.
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