Pets in Pants – a book review

This may be a little off-topic for my blog, but I was asked to review this book and I couldn’t say no. It features lots of pets. Wearing pants. What’s not to love?

Turns out it was a good day for this book to arrive. It was Roo’s first ever Parent Conference this morning and that meant nursery was cancelled for the day. We had plans with C and his family, but several trips to the bathroom during the night convinced me that I was a bit ill and therefore shouldn’t be play-dating. You may remember that Roo had something similar a few weeks back.  So, we’re having a quarantine day. In the rain. Fun! Incidentally his Parent Conference went well (thanks for asking) – the only concern raised was that his walk was a bit “hoppity-skippity”. We agreed he was just a hoppity-skippity child.

Anyway, the book arrived at 12:30, just as we would usually be setting off to go to nursery and just as Eva and I were scooting upstairs to the bathroom again. Roo had been obsessing about his Christmas presents all day, so I shouted down to him that when we came down, he could have a present.

To paraphrase Portable North Pole Santa, he wasn’t disappointed.

“Pets in Pants?” he squawked, in that I’m-finding-what-you-said-so-hilarious-that-I-have-to-use-a-special-voice voice. So that was a winner straight off. So were the brightly-coloured pictures and the tongue-twisting rhymes. I stumbled over some of the words first time round, but he didn’t notice. And as soon as we got to the end, he wanted it again.

His favourite Pet in Pants was the parrot in the racing green pants, and the funniest was the rabbit in broad-bean pants. But I’ve just asked him again and now his favourite is the cat with the ice-cream pants. Fickle boy! He says he likes it anyway, and sat intently looking both times I read it to him.

I think I like it too. The font and the pictures are funky, the concept is simple but entertaining and it has just the right amount of absurdity. The only criticism I would have is that the first page rhymes “aunts” with “pants”, which just doesn’t work in my accent. It’s aimed at 4-7-year-olds but my 3-and-a-half-year-old enjoyed it. Predictably enough, Eva tried to eat it. Cause, yknow, anything papery is fair game at the moment.

Woh, I have just realised that today is Roo’s half birthday. He is actually EXACTLY 3-and-a-half today. how the heck did that happen?! Happy half birthday Roo! Have a poorly Mummy and an afternoon of mediocre Beebies.

And a new book. See, I said it was good timing.

VERDICT: An well-written and amusing book perfect for preschoolers.

More details: It’s available here, but just for fun google image search “Pets in Pants”. You’d be amazed what comes up!

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of “Pets in Pants” to review by Indepenpress Independent Publishers. All views expressed remain honest and factual.