funny and engaging read that gives the reader the inner thoughts and conversations of a group of pets trying to figure to what to do when their human is hospitalized for a while. the first third or so was great, and really quite funny, and then it dipped down for a while, getting back to almost the same quality by the last bit. it definitely didn't sustain itself, but it was always light and humorous, and full of heart. a fun read. ( )

First, I'm not a big fan of animal fiction for middle graders. There are a few reads, which I enjoy but usually, it's just not a genre which gets me excited. This book was one of those rarities.

Butterbean didn't mean to land Mrs. Food in the hospital, but she did. Now, her and the other animals in Mrs. Food's household are in trouble. While they are being temporarily cared for by a girl, they also caught wind that the situation might quickly take a turn for the worse...if Mrs. Food doesn't return. Luckily, this pack of friends (a dog, a cat, a bird and two rats) are craftier than humans might think. Soon, they come up with a plan to make sure they can afford to purchase their own food and take care of themselves in the future. And what a plan it is!

The first pages already had me hooked. A super cute, sweet dog accidentally has knocked out her owner, and maybe even murdered her. I can't say I've ever had a book start quite like that, and it did grab my attention. Especially since it isn't a serious read. These animals pack personality and then some. Their interactions and thought processes are simply funny, and yet, they have a very serious heist to pull off. One they mastermind...and it's a delight every step of the way.

This is advertised as a mixture between Ocean's Eleven and The Secret Life of Pets. While I usually read such comparisons with a bit of a smirk (often, the books don't really hold up to these), but this one does. And in a quirky way. There's also a ton of heart involved. I especially enjoyed their concern for Madison (the girl), and how the pets accepted each other. Even in more questionable moments, they had each others' backs.

This isn't a 'based on reality completely' sort of read. Obviously, not. There are some parts which go beyond logic and a few others things which take imagination. But that's also part of the magic of imagination and doesn't hurt the story in any way. Also, the artwork deserves extra kudo points. It was always a treat to stumble across the next illustration.

I'd recommend this one to readers eight to eleven, since slightly older readers are probably going to want a little more in some ways. But even I as an adult enjoyed reading this and found myself smiling more than a couple of times. ( )

This chapter book received rave reviews from the 6 year old I read it to during sequestered home schooling. He found the story and illustrations immensely amusing, and was eager to resume hearing it read each day. The cast of characters includes the pets of hospitalized Mrs. Food, leaving Butterbean the dog, Oscar the bird, Walt the cat, and Marco & Polo the rats to fend for themselves. A mystery surrounds Madison, the girl who has been hired to feed them, and the sinister Coin Man gives them all the creeps. By joining together and recruiting Chad the octopus from another apartment to help, the group problem-solves, overcomes numerous obstacles to reach a satisfying conclusion. The slapstick humor makes for fun reading aloud to younger grades, but will also be fun for independent reading for middle grades. ( )