Arthur's Pet Business (Arthur Adventures) - Softcover

Marc Brown, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1946, received great encouragement and support from his grandmother and uncle. Inspired by the books of Maurice Sendak, Brown decided to pursue his ambition of becoming an illustrator. After receiving a B.F.A. in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, he worked as a TV art director, a professor of mechanical drawing, and a freelance illustrator, before becoming a writer. In his books, he addresses the fears and problems which children face and events like friendship, family, school and pets. For his illustrations, Brown uses pencil with watercolor on a variety of papers to achieve different visual effects. The "Arthur" series, about the everyday adventures of a lovable aardvark, began in 1976 and continues to this day with 25 titles published. Brown has also created other series such as the "Rhymes" series, and the nonfiction "Dinosaur" series, which conveys messages of do's and don'ts. These series, like the stories of Arthur, hold the attention of young children while transporting their imaginations on magical journeys.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Arthur seeks a job taking care of pets to prove he is responsible enough to have a puppy of his own. He is glad that his first job is to mind a dog for a week, even a temperamental one, and he lets Perky sleep in his room. An ant farm and a canary follow--but when sister D. W. finds frogs in the bathtub and a boa in the livingroom, Mother banishes these "pets" to the basement. The reason for some of Perky's fussiness is revealed when, on the day she is to go home, she disappears--and is discovered in Arthur's closet with her new litter of pups. The pleased owner gives one to Arthur in addition to his fee--most of which pesky D. W. claims for a back debt. Arthur, whose appearance continues to evolve from his first aardvark appearance in Arthur's Nose (Joy Street, 1976), is a bit rounder and pinker, and the story a bit thinner, but his many fans will cheer this fourteenth adventure in a popular series. --Ruth M. McConnell, San Antonio Pub . Lib .
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