Another entry in a winning chapter-book series, this focuses on Pinky, who wants a dog. When his family opts for a kitten, he's naturally disappointed. It's fine with him when little sister, Amanda, declares Patches to be all hers. As luck would have it, though, Patches prefers Pinky's company, and it isn't long before Pinky is caught between his growing affection for the kitten and his fear of hurting his sister. Charmingly unaffected illustrations, by Melissa Sweet, appear on nearly every page of this simple-to-follow story that not only offers solid practice for new chapter-book readers, but, like others in the series, gives children something deeper to think about.

"Just right" are the last words Pinky would use to describe his family's new kitten. He wants a dog but is unanimously out-voted by his mom, dad, and annoying little sister. The kitten takes to Pinky, who discovers that he might like cats better than dogs after all. Accompanied by Sweet's charming watercolors, Howe's character-driven story, though a bit forced, deals realistically with common family problems.

K-Gr 2-In this 12th adventure, Pinky is outvoted three to one when his family decides to get a pet. He conjures up a perfect plan to convince his father to change his vote from "cat" to "dog," but it is foiled when his sister convinces their parents to adopt one of the free kittens being given away in front of the supermarket. To everyone's surprise, the newcomer takes a liking to Pinky and he decides that he prefers a cat after all. As in the past, Howe delivers a realistic story with just the right amount of suspense and drama for the intended audience. While Rex plays a minor part here, children will still enjoy this tale of an everyday situation that appears to be a disaster until all dilemmas are resolved and life can go back to normal. Sweet's illustrations add the right touch to an ideal beginning chapter book.-Olga R. Kuharets, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.