In this heartfelt story of friendship, a young girl is determined to
save her most unlikely pet.
Beatrice desperately wants a pet of her own. Her mom has other ideas. No
dog. No cat. No hedgehog. They finally reach a compromise, and Beatrice
gets ... a Venus flytrap. Being a good sport, Beatrice makes the best of
things. She gives her new friend a name, Barb. She does all the things
with Barb that good pet owners do, such as taking walks and playing
fetch. Only, now, despite all the love and care, Barb is starting to
look sick, with black spots on her leaves and some parts of her turning
mushy. Beatrice knows she has to find a way to save Barb. But how?
The debut picture book from author Kate Jenks Landry offers a universal
and powerful message about how to take care of those we love. It also
celebrates differences, unique friendships and what makes each of us
special (like how Barb needs to eat bugs to survive!). This story has
strong curriculum connections to social-emotional learning and offers
excellent character education lessons on caring, perseverance and
responsibility. Vivian Mineker's illustrations are imbued with the soft
greens of plant life and beautifully convey the warmth and affection at
the heart of the story.
