View source for Sparky! by Jenny Offill and Chris Appelhans

{{infobox
|title=Sparky!
|author=Jenny Offill and Chris Appelhans
|reviewer=Rachael Spencer
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9781444014860
|pages=40
|publisher=Orion
|date=November 2014
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444014862</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1444014862</amazonus>
|website=
|video=
|summary=Sparky is a sloth. The perfect pet for a girl who’s Mum says she can only get a pet if it doesn’t need to be walked, bathed or fed. But what exactly does Sparky do? This is a really well written book for slightly older readers, with a surprisingly touching ending.
}}
There are so many books about unusual pets, that I was a little wary when first opening this book. On one hand, it’s a subject which I think works really well and is always popular. On the other hand, is it over done? I needn’t have worried, this book is really ever so slightly different. It’s aimed at an older reader, I’d say primary school age, and in the end it makes for a pretty poignant read. 

So how good a pet would a sloth make? It turns out they’re not very good at tricks, and they’re pretty slow at playing fetch too. This doesn’t stop his little girl owner from putting on a show to try and impress everyone who isn’t convinced that a sloth is the best pet. I laughed a lot when I read this book, and I loved the deadpan delivery of the text when accompanied by the wonderful illustrations. The pictures also lend themselves to an older audience, and I think Sparky is a wonderfully funny looking sloth.

What works really well here is the fact it’s written in first person point of view, it brings the little girl to life very effectively, making everything just that little bit funnier. I love the simplicity of the design, and the atmosphere which the pictures create, mirrored in the language used throughout. This is a book which has obviously really been thought through deeply, and has worked brilliantly. 

I think this has a very obvious market alongside authors such as [[:Category:Oliver Jeffers|Oliver Jeffers]]. Quirky, funny, and just a little bit thought provoking, I got much more than I expected from this utterly charming read.

If you really like this book and you're looking for something similar to share with your child, then I'd go no further than picking up a copy of [[Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers]]; it's a modern classic for a reason. 

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[[Category:Jenny Offill]]
[[Category:Chris Appelhans]]