Ann Hodgman's basement is home to three guinea pigs, a cage full of birds, a big gray rabbit, a prairie dog, a bulbul (look it up), two little rabbits, a hamster, and twenty-six pygmy mice. And that's just the basement.Would your parents ever let you have that many pets at once? If Ann Hodgman were your parents, she'd let you. Here is the true story of what it's like to live in her barnyard―er, house―with more animals than you'll be able to keep track of. Any kid (or adult) who has ever owned or wanted a pet will love these furry, feathered, slimy, and scaly stories. The House of a Million Pets is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. Hodgman goes way beyond the standard pet story in this anecdotal memoir about her family and its myriad animal members. Owls, raccoons, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, sugar gliders, voles, and pygmy mice are among Hodgman's menagerie. The incredible variety and number of animals both draws and distances the reader; with so many different kinds of critters, it's hard to get to know any of them very well. Extended sidebars, with titles such as "The Worst Things My Dogs Have Eaten" and "How to Cut a Rabbit's Toenails in 13 Impossible Steps" are interesting and entertaining, though, and they showcase Hodgman's wry humor. The episodic nature of the text makes this a natural for reading aloud. Note, however, that many animal deaths occur, and Hodgman includes a very graphic, heartrending description of exactly what happens when you put a pet to sleep. Independent readers will enjoy Yelchin's realistic, expressive animal drawings, which appear throughout the pages. Carton, Debbie “Hodgman may not have had a dragon like Hagrid, but her tales are equally engaging, truthful and funny to readers of all ages. She's a James Herriot for the 21st century.” ― Kirkus Reviews “Through careful observation [Hodgman's] able to create a distinct personality for most of her pets, and Eugene Yelchin's black-and-white illustrations add a note of whimsy.... By the end of the book, you realize Hodgman is one Crazy Pet Lady. 'Good' crazy, though.” ― The New York Times “This humorous animal memoir will jump right off the shelves.” ― Booklist “This amusing ... memoir will have readers wishing they lived near Hodgman so they could drop in and meet who's new.” ― School Library Journal “Hodgman goes way beyond the standard pet story.” ― Booklist ANN HODGMAN is the author of many books for children, but this is the first one she has written about her own life and her own pets. She lives in Washington, Connecticut. EUGENE YELCHIN studied art and theater design at the Leningrad Institute of Theater Arts. He lives in California. Used Book in Good Condition