All Pets Allowed by Adele Griffin - Rajiv's Reviews

All Pets Allowed: Blackberry Farm 2 by Adele Griffin

Release: August 31st 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Algonquin Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, Indiebound

New dog, no tricks!

All Becket Branch has one birthday wish—a dog. Dogs are outgoing and friendly, and they live life loud, just like Becket. But Becket’s twin, Nicholas, wants a pet more like him a peaceful, quiet indoor cat. When their parents take them to the shelter to choose a dog and a cat, it should be Becket’s biggest BEAUTIFUL ALERT ever. But Becket’s dream dog, Dibs, turns out to be a super-shy scaredy-pooch. Meanwhile, Nicholas’s kitty, Given, loves being the center of attention. And it likes greeting visitors to Blackberry Farm.

Can Becket and Nicholas learn how to love Dibs and Given as they are even if they aren’t exactly the pets the twins dreamed of?

It has beautiful black-and-white drawings throughout by award-winning illustrator LeUyen Pham . As such ,this second volume of the Blackberry Farm series offers a gentle message . And it is about embracing new friends who may not match preconceived expectations.

About the Author:

Adele Griffin is the acclaimed author of Tell Me No Lies and Be True to Me, as well as Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both finalists for the National Book Award. She lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn, New York. You can find her online at adelegriffin.com or on Twitter: @adelegriffin..

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

All Pets Allowed Review:

The Bedazzling Branch family is back with our adorable heroine Becket as she deals with a new pet in her life.

What I like about this series is its feel-good aspect. It is refreshing to read a simple book about family values in farm life, and I like how the author captured them in the story. I enjoyed Becket in this book and felt she had become more mature from book one. It is always nice to see characters showing growth in the series. Becket seems to take on more responsibility as she starts caring for Dibs. More than that, I liked how protective she was of her brother when he finds a dead mouse and needs her help.

Moreover, the author also imparts lovely messages in the story about patience and persistence. Even though Dibs is challenging to manage, Becket never gives up trying her best to teach him and make him better. Yes, she does get down when she sees how Given is adapting quickly, but I loved how the author positively wrote her. Also, the author shows how strong a family can work together in a structured manner. On a side note, I also liked the concept of “weeding and needing.” The author also progresses the story nicely, where Becket gets a shock towards the end.

Similar to the previous book, the illustrations by LeUyen Pham are beautiful and blend with the storyline nicely. Overall, “All Pets Allowed” is a lovely addition to the “Blackberry Farm” series. I hope the author continues to write many more in the series.