If I had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle
My rating: Excellent!

Sam is a little girl who has been given a hamster and wishes it was a magical mythological creature instead. As we read the story and Sam considers each mythological creature and the responsibilites that come with them she realises that maybe her hamster isnt so bad after all.

This book is wonderful for the messages it has 1. a female lead character 2.learning to be happy with what you have 3. learning to apply reasoning to a theory or want 4. seeing the good in things, and 5. everyone (pet) has value.

The illustrations were fun and well suited to the story, and the story flowed well and rhymed! (I am a sucker for rhyming kids picture books).

My kids really enjoyed the story and my son especially loved the kraken (but he is obsessed with sea animals, so not a huge surprise, but I also thought the kraken was super cute). My daughter liked the gryphon announcing loudly "kitty raar".The subtle humour in the words and corresponding graphics made us all have a little laugh.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with animal loving kiddies, or kids who like fantastical wonderful things.