ALA Booklist (Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2003)

Elizabeth won't take no for an answer when her parents refuse to get her a pet. Although she likes her pet cactus, Carolyn, she really wants something that moves, so she hatches plan after plan, determined to get what she wants. She tries Element of Surprise, waking her parents up at night to request a horse. Father yawned, A horse is too big.' / Mother sighed, Our yard is too small.' Elizabeth receives similar responses when she tries Catch Them Off Guard to request a dog, and the Full Stomach approach to ask for a cat while at the dinner table. Nothing works, but just as Elizabeth runs out of ideas, she discovers Doug, a bug, right on her rug. Then, she has to convince her mother that Doug is perfect. Think we should have said yes' to the dog? whispers Father to Mother. Whatley's bright, double-page spreads are hilarious, depicting the best- and the worst-case scenarios of pet ownership. Great for reading aloud; children will delight in Elizabeth's resourcefulness and persistence.

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2003)

Elizabeth's parents overrule her pet suggestions with excuses from allergies to loud barking. Not quite satisfied with the cactus plant her parents have given her, she finally comes up with a pet that doesn't bark or shed: Doug the bug. Short sentences make this bouncy story good for new readers. Whatley works lots of funny pet-related details into his realistic paintings, and the clean white backgrounds make the colors pop.

Kirkus Reviews

Elizabeth must pull out all the stops to convince Mother and Father to trade in Carolyn, her cactus, for a real pet. Elizabeth's various methods of persuasion—using the element of surprise, catching them off guard, and going for broke—all prove futile, eliciting only a standard response of "Huh? What? Who?" from her parents. Luckily, Elizabeth stumbles on to the ideal pet, a bug she promptly adopts and names Doug. Everyone agrees that Doug is the perfect pet—even Mother and Father concede that Doug is better than a dog because they "have more room on the couch." Palatini ( Earthquack! , 2002, etc.) is once again exercising her masterful grip on picture-book humor; she makes funny look easy. Whatley's illustrations, which are strikingly reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's work and are in the style of his earlier Wait No Paint (2001), will also produce chuckles, as white backgrounds draw focus to the comical expressions of shock and confusion sported by Elizabeth's parents. While this work is accessible to very young readers by virtue of Palatini's easy-to-manage format—with subtle repetition in the narrative and subtitles—it's wordy enough, and has enough substance, to get a laugh out of the easy-book crowd. And Elizabeth's antics are sure to strike a funny bone. (Picture book. 3-8)

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Palatini adds her own brand of offbeat humor and an unexpected ending to the traditional story of a child trying to convince her parents that she should have a pet. Elizabeth accepts the substitute cactus plant ("-it had quite a prickly sense of humor") and even names it, but she doesn't give up, surprising her parents in bed, in the bathroom ("Catch Them Off Guard"), and at the dinner table. While she enumerates the advantages of each animal, requesting everything from a horse to a rat, her parents counter with the negatives. Finally, the child finds her own solution. She adopts a bug, names him Doug, and provides him with a perfect habitat, good food, and companionship. He is the perfect pet, and Elizabeth loves him for his differences and individuality. Mother, on the other hand, is not happy with the idea. There is a happy ending, though, as Doug joins the family on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. The finely crafted illustrations in both delicate pastel shades and bright colors combine realistic pictures of animals and people with cartoon elements and an engaging little bug. For storytimes, combine this winner with Liesel Moak Skorpen's All the Lassies (Dial, 1970; o.p.) and Judith Viorst's poem "Mother Doesn't Want a Dog." Good for individual or group sharing.-Marlene Gawron, formerly at Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.