Pets on the Loose! series by Victoria Jamieson -- terrific pair of graphic novels for young readers (ages 6-10)

Have you ever imagined what your pets get up to while you're away? Victoria Jamieson takes this notion and gives it a fresh spin, imagining a trio of classroom pets and their antics when the kids go home for the day. Pets on the Loose! is a terrific series for kids moving into longer stories, whether you're reading it aloud together or kids are gobbling it up on their own.

The Great Pet Escape
Pets on the Loose! volume 1
by Victoria Jamieson
Henry Holt / Macmillan, 2016
Google Books preview
Amazon / Your local library
ages 6-10

George Washington, or "GW" for short, plays the part of a a sweet, innocent classroom hamster, but the second graders at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School don't know that he's an experienced con man. Having been locked up in 2nd grade for three months, he's determined to escape and reunite with his pals Barry the rabbit and Biter the guinea pig.

"Prison can't stop me. I am now building my greatest invention ever... the Hairy Houdini Escape-O-Matic."

As soon as GW escapes and frees his pals, they run into their biggest problem: Harriet the mouse. With her minion mice and Lucinda, the 5th grade pet snake, Harriet is planning to cause chaos in the school by preparing "the most vile, disgusting lunch they've EVER seen."

Kids will crack up at the thought of mice running havoc in the cafeteria, adding chocolate chips and pickles to the casserole, making soup with ketchup, relish and mustard. The food fight finale will certainly bring giggles a plenty, and kids will relish (ha!) how the friends support one another.

I love the pacing and goofy humor in this graphic novel. GW is cute but mischievous, a good friend but also pretty self-centered. Readers new to longer graphic novels will appreciate that each panel only has one or two short sentences, and that the whole story is captured in eleven short chapters.

Kids will be eager to read the sequel, The Great Art Caper:

The Great Art Caper
Pets on the Loose! volume 2
by Victoria Jamieson
Henry Holt / Macmillan, 2017
Google Books preview
Amazon / Your local library
ages 6-10

GW the hamster continue his adventures with his friends, this time saving the students’ art show from sabotage by Harriet the mouse. As the story opens, the pets have settled into a nice routine in each of their classrooms. They want to go to the art room to make a card for GW's friend Carina, but it's on the 2nd floor -- the domain of Harriet and her minions. How are they going to make it all the way there?

Harriet and her minions are plotting to steal Carina’s picture from the art show, wrecking havoc on the school once again. Worst of all, they going to frame GW and his friends so that they will be sent away to St. Bart’s Obedience School for Unruly Pets.

Jamieson continues her series with her terrific blend of humor and pacing, filling this with slapstick humor and an underlying message of friendship. You'll get a nice sense through this Google Books preview:

One of my favorite experiences as a mom was reading aloud a graphic novel to my daughter when she was in 3rd grade. We snuggled up together, each reading different characters' parts aloud. This series would make a great comic book to read aloud with 1st, 2nd or 3rd graders who are ready to listen and read along with a longer story.

The review copies came from our public library, checked out through Axis 360 ebooks. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books