This is a good comprehensive guide for the beginning hamster owner. It has no information on breeding and its writing will be beyond the abilities of small children (the ASPCA guides published in conjuction with DK books are better for children). The book focuses on your interaction with your hamster albeit it does also provide all the usual information in selecting and housing the little fellows. I gave it four stars since it's not an all-encompassing tome on hamsters and it's a little weak in the area of dwarf hamsters. As a pet-owners guidebook for Syrian hamsters, it's pretty much all that you'll need. The chapters are: 1.Pre-Pet Preparations, 2. Hamster-Hunting Homework, 3. Teach you hamster to welcome your touch, 4. Knock, knock, who's there? 5. Can hamsters be trained not to gnaw? 6. Potty training, 7. Make the cage a hamster heaven, 8. Out to the playground for recess? 9. Practice sessions in the play place, 10. Leash walking, 11. Roll-around balls, 12. Fun time, 13. The traveling hamster, 14. Handy hints, 15. Making the grade.

If I had a pet hamster, I'd probably sell it and get a real pet, like a miniature donkey or something....

I am a shower of the "fancier" guinea pigs and I really wish they had more on those breeds. Overall, it was a good book for identifying your pet shop guinea pig and for younger kids who want to read up on them. I'm looking for more books that actually have more to do with showing and grooming, though. But, like I said, it is an excellent kids book. If anyone has info on breeding/showing/grooming long-haired pigs like peruvians, e-mail me at skygirl@mediaone.net .

Plain and simple, this is a very good book that describes the many varieties of guinea pigs. I wish there was more about the "rarer" breeds than a quick summary, but all in all, it is a very good book if you are a cavy fancier.

At last, "Who Moved My Cheese?" has found its target audience--children.

It is a simple parable that illustrates the natural tendency to resist change. The uncertainty that generally accompanies change provides a level of discomfort that some try to escape. Rather than take the necessary steps for change, some people cling to old notions and actions that produce little or no results.

These are good concepts to learn at an early age, as long as it is undertood that reducing such a simple little concept into practice is the hard part. Knowing that we need to "search around the maze for new cheese" doesn't help much, without guidelines for determining when we are "moving around the maze" or simply "sitting at the cheese station."

Hopefully, parents can provide some insight where the book doesn't.

Impressively enhanced with the cartoon style artwork of Steve Pileggi, Who Moved My Cheese? For Kids is a thoroughly entertaining story by Spencer Johnson about dealing with change and brand new opportunities. Four little friends who live in a maze live off of seemingly never-ending magical cheese; one morning the cheese is gone and the four must work together to explore, search, and help each other cope in this involving tale.

The mouse is back! Once again, a sweet little boy becomes exhausted meeting the constant demands of a tiny tyrannical rodent in this, the fourth of the Numeroff-Bond books.

Written for the Christmas season, the action begins with our protagonists preparing for an outing to see a Christmas film -- but it doesn't stop there! Not by a long shot. One thing leads to another -- somehow logical, somehow outrageous -- until the circle is complete, and our duo are again wandering off to the movies.

The illustrations are absolutely priceless, filled with humorous details that will keep the book fresh even after the hundredth reading. And, if your child is like mine, there will be hundreds of readings. You will never forget the image of a mouse singing karaoke in candy cane-decorated boxer shorts, and do not neglect the sweet pictures on the credit pages.

'If You Take A Mouse To The Movies' by Laura Numeroff, with Illustrations by Felicia Bond, A Laura Geringer Book, 2000.

This is an excellent continuation of the collaboration of Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond on children's books based upon fanciful 'IF/THEN' statements. If you take a Mouse to the movies, then he will want popcorn; THEN, this results in his stringing the popcorn to decorate the Christmas Tree (which is the central theme of this beautiful book), and then, and so on. Each improbable 'THEN' is the joy of this book. For example, the little Mouse is given just the right clothes for the wintry weather, including a cute red woolen cap, with holes for his large ears. Finally, after making snowmen, decorating a Christmas Tree, you will come full circle, and, after giving the Mouse another batch of popcorn, again, ''he'll want you to take him to the moves'.

I enjoyed reading this book to my grandchildren. The younger boys (twins) were captivated by the richness of details in Felicia. Bond's illustrations, while the older grandchildren (especially the girl) rolled their eyes at the 'silliness' of each new IF/THEN situation 'for example, a Mouse making a 'snowman' and (!) with snowy white mouse ears! The Christmas theme makes this an ideal gift for the impending holidays.

If you take a mouse to the movies, he'll ask for popcorn. When you bring him some, it will remind him of Christmas and he'll want to string it...then he'll demand a tree to hang it from...seeing the snow on the ground will make him want to build a snowmouse, then a snow fort, a snow fort fight...and on and on. This little mouse is as busy and demanding as ever in this fourth book of the series. Laura Numeroff's simple, funny text, captures the essence of the pre-school mind as her mouse jumps from one idea to the next, in his logical little mind, until finally coming full circle, back to the popcorn. Felicia Bond's colorful, busy and expressive illustrations compliment the story perfectly and your youngsters will love finding all the special little details, hidden in the pictures. Children of all ages will be amused and delighted as they enjoy the chaos this little mouse wreaks on his human friend. This is a wonderful holiday book the whole family will enjoy.

I've read this book 5 times, it's so good! Every time I was always sad it was over...just because it's so good. It's about a cat who, instead of eats mice, he keeps one as a pet and friend, despite everyones mocking and laughing at him. It just goes to show that opposites do attract and nothing can keep good friends apart! It's very creative and very well written! The author-Dick King Smith-has published several books and of all the ones I've read, this is definately my favorite. And Dick King Smith himself is not only an excelent author, but also an excelent human being...as I have written to him and he wrote back to me...twice! :) So behind this great book, there's an even greater person. I can garantee your children will love this book, and his many others...I do!

This was an excliant book!!! I decided to read this book so I could get points in reading. It looked like a small and easy read. Boy, I would read this book any day. The detail and the way the story flows is amazing!I ahve never read about a cat who dosen't eat mice! After the middle of the story I wouldn't put the book down. I learned all about the mice and that mice are dows and bucks!!! Martain gets this great idea of keeping mice as pets! The first mouse he finds is pregnant, her name is Drusila. After the first groupe off cubs, Martin decides to find her another husband, his name is Cuthbert. The first groupe are all named numbers, the second are months of the year!!! After her gets taken away as a pet imself, he never sees Dursila or Cuthbert on till....

I think Martin's Mice is a realy good book, because there's a cat who hates eating mice but his mother makes him eat at least on bit of mouse. Martin thinks they are really cute and adorable and wants to have one as a pet. When he gets older his mother stops catching them food. Martin and his brother and sister have to catch their own food. Luckily the farmer's daughter starts feeding him cat food. Martin decides that he will catch a mouse for a pet, so one day he goes and catches one for a pet. He catches a lady mouse, but what he does not know is that she is going to have children, too. I also like it because it was really funny, and it put a smile on my face the whole way through.

Before reading "Rats," the only book I had ever read by Paul Zindel was The Pigman. After reading the back cover of "Rats", I knew I had to read it to see if Paul Zindel did as good a job with horror books as he did with fiction/drama books. "Rats" turned out to be a great book in every way. Thousands of rats are terrorizing the New York City area by appearing in toilets, pipes, and many other areas and then killing any person that they can sink their teeth into. 15-year-old Sarah and her ten-year-old brother Michael know a little bit about rats because they have an albino pet rat named Surfer. Their dad, Mr. Macafee is blamed by many people including the city mayor that it's his fault that these rats are doing this because he lives close to and takes a part in the city dump area where the rats first started their killing spree. Sarah and Michael have to use their knowledge of rats and find a way to save the people around New York City from being killed while trying to stay alive and escape the terror of the rats' claws themselves.

I liked "Rats" a lot better than I did The Pigman. I think Paul Zindel does a much better job writing horror books like "Rats." The book is unbelievably compelling and it's even scary at times. When I read about some of the explanations about what the rats looked like and how they terrorized the people, I could see a picture of a huge rat like it was staring me right in the face. If you like well written and compelling horror books, I definitely recommend getting "Rats."

Hellow,I will review the book I read called Rats.Rats has 204 pages and was writen by Paul Zindel.The book is a horror novel. The main characters of this story are ,two kids, Sarah and Michael along with their pet rat Surfer.The problem is that the rats at the dump are angry at the people and are atacking and killing the residents in Manhattan.The rats attack the kids and take their rat and so they must go under the trash to find him.The kids get trapped under the trash and the milatary has sent planes to fire bomb.If you want to know which species will survive then get this book and read. I liked this book because Paul used great detail when he writes his books.I also like to read graphic stuff. Now If you like my book Reveiw then go buy this book.Also check out Night of the Bat and Raptor.

If you like horror books with lots of suspense and action, then this is the book for you. Rats, by Paul Zindel, is a thrilling and exciting book, which has lots of action and danger. Sarah and her brother Micheal were watching t.v. when they started hearing strange noises coming from outside. They went outside, only to find her neighbors being attacked and chased by huge enourmous rats. Now, they have to figure out a way to escape from their rat-infested neighborhood and get to safety. On the way though they witness gruesome and disgusting scenes. They then have to figure out how their going to get out of there alive. Once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down.

I have a guinea pig, and I love her and take care of her. But I recently checked out this book, and I thought some parts could be a little more realistic. The sections on food and guinea pig history and breeds were terrific. But I think it expects you to go a little overboard on your guinea pig. For example, when it gives you the list of cleaning supplies you need to clean your guinea pig's cage, it says, "Do not take any items that you use to clean your house," when it has things like sponges and dustpans and towels on the list. Do they mean that you're supposed to buy a new towel and dustpan just for your guinea pig? Also, the checklist at the very end was EXTREMELY unrealistic. Not very many people check their guinea pig's teeth every day. This book is OK, but I just think that some sections are unrealistic and set too high expectations for little kids.

What I love about this book are the pictures. They are very clear and colourful. This is a very good guide book for any kid because if the kid does not know what a word refers to, there is actually a picture that shows what the author is trying to convey. This book also includes step-by-step instructions (with pictures) for cleaning the cage, grooming of the cavy...

An easy-to-understand book...

After checking this book out at the library, I ordered a copy for my 9-year old granddaughter to keep for her own. It answers every question we had about breeds, equipment, care and feeding of guinea pigs. It is offered in a clear, concise format with lots of pictures, making it attractive to the young reader.

I hate this book. Sure, the pictures are nice, but most of the info is out dated. Honestly, the first time I read this book I gagged. I am an expert on hamsters, and books like these drive me NUTS. Following thi book could actually kill your hamster.

Reviews of this book seem to be all over the map. Well, I raised about 20+ hamsters (I lost count) since I was a child and I had a small library of books on them. I suppose I can claim to be experienced and well-read at the very least. Mark Evans's book covers a broad range of owner-breeder topics at a level of reading which is excellent for young pet owners. The book is well-illustrated and reasonably thorough for its targeted audience. It focuses mostly on the care of hamsters than on the breeding of them. It is probably the best hamster book for new and young pet owners and it is endorsed by the ASPCA. If you're getting a hamster as a pet for your child, buy this book for your child; but to round-out your knowledge as a responsible supervising parent, buy yourself a copy of "Hamsters" by Otto Von Frisch (if you're getting a Syrian) or "Dwarf Hamsters" by Sharon Vanderlip (if you're getting a dwarf). Incidentally, I gave the book four stars because its advice sometimes gets too demanding and a reasonable amount of common sense needs to be applied for moderation.

this book is cool.it showed a lot about hamsters.i gave it to my sister to look at for a while because she has a hamster and she didnt know very much about it and it looked like it was sufficating.but after she read the book it looked much better. i only gave this book four stars because i already new everything in it but its still a good book.

If you are interested in becoming familiar with and keeping hamsters as pets, then this is a good book. Released in 1997, it was written by Betsy Sikora Siino and is 126 pages. There are ten chapters along with informative sidebars throughout. Examples of information are physical characteristics, housing, feeding, and health. Besides a color drawing that outlines the external features of a hamster, the rest of the guide contains nice color photos. I recommend this book.

It was a great book but there should have been a section on breeding your hamster but it did give the info you need to keep you hamster healthy.

I have owned hamsters for over a year now and have read quite a few books and websites about the cute little pets. In the last few months I have become bored with the same old stuff in all the books - most, however, have adorable pictures that make up for it, but nevertheless I hoped to find one with new information. Then - behold! - I picked up this book. A very attractive, well-made and well-written book, it is filled with new, interesting and useful info. I actually learned something from "The Hamster: An Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet"! On almost every page there is a wonderful color photo of a hamster (or, in some cases, hamsterS). I would reccommend this book to first-time hamster owners as well as the more experienced kind who are looking for new, complete information.

Having heard several times that this book and its companion, Mouse Paint, were clever and fun reads for children, we got this book, but I was pretty disappointed. While the artwork is charming, the premise of the story is that sleeping mice are being stored in a jar to be eaten later by a snake. Like another reviewer, when reading aloud I skip the snake repeatedly describing them as "little, warm and tasty". The idea of the mice cleverly escaping and then counting down as they escape is good, but I don't find that the "counting up" is particularly well done, so that children don't necessarily develop a better understanding of counting or numbers. To be honest, our toddler likes the book, so I've given it three stars, but IMHO there are much better books for children out there.

As a preschool teacher I like this book.
Far from the snake's description of the imprisioned mice making it inappropariate for children: it is a good moral lesson! Don't be greedy! It is also not a problem because mice are on earth to be food for the snakes and the preditors are not "bad" animals; there are just fulfilling their role in the ecology.
I don't like it as much as "Mouse Paint" but it is a fine counting book.

My three year old son loves this book even more than Mouse Paint. Despite previous reviewers' concerns about the mice being described as "little warm and tasty," this part makes my son laugh the most. He loves counting backwards, tipping side to side to mimic the mice as they tip the jar, and repeats the moral to the story on a regular basis.