Pee Wee's Tale

Pee Wee's Tale by Johanna Hurwitz

This book starts out as one of the most depressing stories I have read for kindergarten through 3^rd graders. Meet PeeWee the guinea pig. He was born in a cage in a pet store. His mother used to be a class pet in a first grade classroom and I am not sure what events led to her being in a pet store, but it is suspicious if you ask me. PeeWee was the last of his brothers and sisters to be chosen for a home. The man that bought him gives him as a gift to his nephew Robbie. Robbie does not want a guinea pig; Robbie wants a dog. PeeWee does his best to be as puppy-like as possible for a rodent. Unfortunately, Robbie’s mother is terrified of PeeWee to the point of jumping on chairs when he is in the room. When Robbie is away at a sleepover, Robbie’s mother tells his father to dispose of PeeWee! Then they plan to lie and tell Robbie that PeeWee escaped his cage and must have found his way out of their apartment. In reality, Robbie’s father releases PeeWee into New York’s Central Park. Disheartened yet?

Fortunately, the opening of the book goes rather quickly. The majority of the book is setting up a new friendship. This Monarch Nominee from the very first Monarch list is the beginning of a series known as the Park Pals Adventures. Too adorable PeeWee is our book-smart rodent. His mother learned to read in her 1^st grade classroom and she teaches PeeWee when he shows an interest in the newspapers that line their cage. He knows his letters, sounds and can read the words on the newspaper print. Regrettably, the newspaper is shredded so he never gets to read full sentences until he comes across a complete newspaper left in Central Park. He cannot make out the meaning of the words used in the Sports Section (me neither), but he can fully understand the article outlining the elimination of eight trees in the Park to make way for a new children’s play area!

One of those trees belongs to his new friend – his first friend – Lexington, Lexi, the Squirrel. Lexi is our street-smart rodent. He cannot read, but he knows “look before you eat,” “a leap in time is mighty fine,” and “an apple a day keeps the aches away.” He knows all the rules to survive in Central Park and he is ready and willing to dispense his wisdom to the naïve PeeWee. If it weren’t for Lexi, PeeWee would have been trampled by a dog on his first day at the park. He also wouldn’t be aware that apples, nuts and grass are far superior foods to his pellets back home. And if it weren’t for PeeWee, Lexi would have lost his home to the construction crew.

I short book with pictures, PeeWee’s Tale works equally well as a read-aloud or as a beginning chapter book for the early elementary set. They will be concerned about the welfare of all of the animals. And they will enjoy meeting Sewer Drain… my favorite part. They will also be interested in finding out if PeeWee ever finds his boy, Robbie, again. And is he willing to give up his freedom for the security of a home. Apples or pellets? What do you think?