The Pet War

by Allan Woodrow

THE PET WAR is a hilarious story about the timeless battles of dog vs. cat, brother vs. sister, know-it-all vs. know-nothing. Eleven-year-old Otto wants a dog. His twelve-year-old perfect sister, Lexi, wants a cat. Their mother, who works very long hours as a nurse, wants neither. Pets are expensive so who's going to pay for everything? And what happens to the pet when the siblings are at their dad's for the weekend? Otto has an idea. What if he got a job and earned enough money to pay for the dog? Then Lexi has to open her big mouth. She proposes that whichever sibling can raise enough money first will decide which pet they get. Oddly enough, their mom and dad agree. With Otto and Lexi each out to defeat the other, their business plans become more elaborate and involved. As the competition gets fiercer, the stakes get higher, and the battle lines have been drawn, so let the Pet War begin. . . .

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Humor, Family

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2013

About the author

Allan Woodrow is the author of more than thirty books for children, some written under secret names. His books include Unschooled, Class Dismissed, and The Pet War.

Allan often presents to schools, libraries and conferences. He is currently writing his next 12 novels, which are in various states of assembly.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this book was written for children but I really didn't like it at all! The main character is unbelievably stupid and it was frustrating to slog through. I finished it only because it somehow made its way to Florida Sunshine State Readers list. I thought Scholastic had higher standards than this. Kids simply do not behave the way these characters are written: none of them. Malcolm is way too mature. Otto and his sister are petty and ridiculous until the end when all of a sudden they are mature and forgiving. Dad seems like a loser and Mom seems way too oblivious. I mean she's starts the whole contest and then barely seems to notice when things go wildly awry. I haven't disliked a children's book this much since... never!

[Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book. It shows the relationship of two great siblings having a war. This war is for a dog or cat of course the sister wants a cat and the brother wants a dog. This war also tests their a ability to be responsible and a good sport. Although being a good sport is very hard for the two so they have an all out war against each other. But in the end they make it up to each other. Also, the fact that their parents are broken up kind of makes the story a bit more interesting.

[Samantha Jones]

After his neighbors move away, Otto realizes his life isn’t complete without a dog. But it has to be a dog, no matter what his sister cannot convince their mom to get a cat. Lexi thinks dogs are gross, smelly and all around horrible creatures, that’s why cats are the best animals ever. Otto and Lexi fight and argue and finally they go to their mom to settle to score, what animal will it be? She decides to start a race, whoever can get the most amount of money toward their animal will be able to pick which animal the family gets. Otto realizes that he is going to have to work extra hard to beat his sister but he knows that he can do it. He begins walking dogs and starts making a lot of money, until one day one of the dogs gets hurt and he has to take it to the vet. Otto ends up paying for the medical bill and loses a fourth of his money that he had. At this point he is unable to win, but neither is Lexi! Otto decides to give Lexi the rest of his money and allow her to get the cat that she wanted. Because of this Otto’s dad buys him a dog because of how nice he was to his sister. I love this book and think that it would fit perfectly in a classroom! There are so many options teachers can do to get students to understand the main point that is going on. Sharing is something that is important but getting along and working together is especially important. Teacher can have student act out specific scenes, make storyboards, or write a paper on something that the student and their siblings don’t get along with. I think this book is perfect because there’s minimal if not no controversial themes or aspects to the book at all and the theme was though through and something that relates to students at this age.

Woodrow, A. (2013). The pet war. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

[Janae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Students laughed out loud as they enjoyed the predicaments of the main characters. The book is filled with realistic sibling rivalry and a storyline that every young pet owner would love.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: I stood at the bottom of the driveway in my pajamas with a serious case of bed head.

Premise/plot: Otto and Lexi are siblings. Otto wants a dog. Lexi wants a cat. Mom's verdict: whoever can earn (at least) five hundred dollars in one month can choose what pet the family gets. Lexi is twelve; Otto is eleven. Neither has really gone about earning money in a serious way before. Who will win this pet war?!

My thoughts: I liked this one okay. I do not want my time back! And it is always a relief to have a book with a dog on the cover that is SAFE to read. No pets die in this book!!!!

Otto is the narrator of this one. He really LOVES dogs and hates cat. As a cat lover, I really didn't enjoy all the dog talk and the disparaging talk against cats. Personally, I wouldn't have minded a story from LEXI'S perspective. But my job is to review the book that is--the book I actually read and not the book I might have wanted to read instead.

Otto is an amusing narrator. He pokes a lot of fun at himself. He's not the brightest or best...especially when it comes to math, economics, and soccer. He does have a super-patient best friend, Malcolm. Without Malcolm, I'm guessing Otto would have made no money at all. Otto has plenty of misadventures when his money-making schemes go awry. I could easily see this book being adapted as a children's comedy movie.

Otto has a lot to learn--not just about math. He is more often than not very rude and demanding. He lacks respect and courtesy. It bothered me to see him treat others so thoughtlessly. In particular, I didn't like the way he treated his dad. He only sees his dad some of the time, and when he does see him. He's all give me money, give me money, give me money, I want money. And when his dad asks him to do something he's like HOW MUCH MONEY do I get. If his dad says he's not going to pay him, he doesn't do it. And this attitude isn't just with his dad--or his mom--it's with everyone. Otto's attitude actually reminded me of my least favorite character in the movie Sing--MIKE.

Lexi seemed a lot more likeable. Not perfect. Not nearly as goody-two-shoes as Otto imagines her to be. But authentically nice.

Kids may enjoy this one more than adults.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pet War

When siblings battle over what type pet to get, mom gives them a war to win, raise the most money in a month! The ways children think of ideas to raise money is incredible! The true question, is can two battling siblings come together for the bigger good?

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is It A Cliche If It's The First Time YOU've Read It?

I liked this book, for reasons set out below. But first, here's a question. How does a brand new reader know when something is cliched? When you read your first book about a normal kid who, unbeknownst to him, is really half royal Faerie, do you know there are lots of those books around? How about the quest for the secret grimoire that the evil villain wants? Or the suspicion that your teacher is an alien? Or the telepathic pet? And so on.

When I started this book I thought that pretty much every single character, plot line, best friend, and conversation was something I'd seen before. Then I got a grip and stopped being a snot. After all, every single landscape painting has trees, a stream and a cow - you can still look at more than one, though, because they're all composed and executed differently.

Same thing here. We have the eternal brother/sister conflict, the dog/cat conflict, the unhelpful best friend, the unpredictable parents, the incomprehensible adults, and pretty much everything else that bedevils an eleven year old. But, it is all drawn together into a satisfying whole.

Nothing is over the top. Our hero's narration is humorous and clever, with occasional mostly unintended insights that a young reader will pick up. The brother/sister conflict is real, but not psychotic. The idea of the pet war is a little cutesy, but it keeps the book moving forward and it's not obsessive. The failed attempts at money making are clever and realistic, not frantic/zany.

The upshot is that the book is cheerful and amusing. It is written for and works for exactly the right target readership. It has a consistent and inviting tone. And, at the end the brother and sister have a heart to heart talk over the kitchen table that is actually one of the most touching and honest brother/sister conversations I've ever read in a kid's book. Eyes are opened and understandings are reached. It's really very well done and was the icing on the cake for me.

So, this just strikes me as a very attractive early reader book that relies on a lot of the conventions of elementary and middle grade fiction, but it's a nice place to start.

Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

[Mia A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pet War by Allan Woodrow is outstanding! The book is about Otto the narrator who wants a dog and his sister Lexi who wants a cat. Their mom starts a competition to see who can raise $500 in one month faster is no one does they get no pet.
I would definitely recommend this book to a friend in 5th-6th grade. I feel 7th graders may find this book too easy. Overall this book is amazing and I would read it again to pick up more details.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleven year old Otto wants a dog but his sister Lexi wants a cat. The two could not be anymore different when it comes to preferences but they are convinced that their mom is going to hear their side of the story. While they each claim that one pet is better than the other, their mom wants them to work for it, considering the expense and responsibility of owning an animal. Otto does not think he has much of a chance earning money, the odds are not in his favor. For instance, Lexi is the smart one that makes straight A's in school, on the other hand, Otto barely tries at all at school. However he is determine to wipe the smirk of his sister face who teases him that she will prevail in the end.

Only one month left to prove to their mother that their preferred animal is better. Bickering about they are going to disappoint each other in the process, their mother wants them to settle their differences and not treat this competition as something seriously. Lexi makes more happy as the days progress but loses friends in the process. In contrast to Otto who tries everything to make more money but things are constantly falling apart. Who would win this pet war in the end? Hilarious, light comedy about the love of pets.

I enjoyed this novel, the target audience is probably middle school or below. However that does not take away the beauty of this novel, highly recommended for pet lovers.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pet War by Allan Woodrow is based on a brother and sister fighting over whether
their family should get a pet dog or a cat. While they start fighting, their mother decides to make
it a competition. They both had one month to get $500 to buy the animal they wanted, and if
neither of them reached the mark, they would just not get an animal. In the book the author
shows the struggles both Lexi and Otto encounter along the way as they learn to appreciate
what they have and each other.
All good books have some downsides as well though. There are certain times throughout
the book where the plot is very repetitive. I also thought it is odd that the mother isn’t really
brought up too much in the story, which is weird because Otto is only 11 and his sister Lexi is
only 12. The ending is both very surprising and unexpected. I would definitely recommend this
book if you are the type of person that likes to read adventurous books

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Sunshine State Young Readers Nomination, much to my disbelief. First of all, the cover of this book is deceiving. It appears as though the book is going to be about a dog and a cat at war. It is actually about a brother, Otto and his sister, Lexi. Otto wants a dog and Lexi wants a cat. Their mother decides to have a competition - whoever earns the most money in one month (the goal is $500) can choose the pet. The book is written from Otto's point of view. An annoying boy who blames everyone and everything else on his own mistakes. Mistakes that he continuously makes over and over and yet, over again. I didn't like this book. Otto is a whiny brat who is jealous of his sister and justifies all of his poor judgements with his extreme dislike of his sister, who deserves only the worst in life, according to him. Only at the end does Otto magically change his mind and performs a good deed. Wow, it only took 170 pages of incessant whining and finger pointing to do this.

[Alison Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely for 2nd to 5th grade imaginations. Of course an adult can enjoy the competition between siblings. As an older sister of two wonderfully annoying sisters I can relate to the competition aspect. This story is about a brother and sister having a competition between each other where the winner will be able to choose what pet the family will be getting. A kid who reads this will enjoy the funny banter and witty satire between the two siblings. The reading was easy and comical. The cover was created specifically for the people who are animal lovers and who will enjoy a story that involves a happy story that wont rip your heart out if an animal dies. Luckily this story is much more suspenseful in the best way. Great read. I would read this to my sisters anytime.

[Lisa B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The was a fun read. I read it as the same time as a young family member, and we enjoyed being able to share our different thoughts about the book. It was a different way for us to connect. We liked talking about Otto and the different ways he tried to earn money for getting a dog. We talked about the sibling rivalry that took place and how this relates to real life. Reading this book and sharing it was a great experience.

My thanks to Scholastic, via Netgalley for allowing me to read this for an unbiased review.

[Abby Stanwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is new and the bomb! It is a great story about a brother Otto who wants a dog and a sister Lexi who wants a cat. They both try to earn 500$ to get a dog or cat this is a war.

[Mary Blake Martfeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like books about rivalry and competition then the book, The Pet Wars by Allan Woodrow is a good book for you! In the story the protagonist, Otto, is trying to show responsibility and earn enough money for a dog.

In the beginning of the story, Otto is desperate for a dog, but his sister, Lexi, on the other hand wants a kitten, so their mother comes up with the idea to have a competition between the two to see who could raise $500 before the end of the month. At the start Otto was struggling for ideas to earn money. He tried everything from grocery bag. caring for tips to selling apples, but sadly none of these ideas seemed to earn him any profit. While Otto was struggling to find ideas to earn money, Lexi was already busy earning money for tutoring kids at their school. After a while Otto came up with a great idea for earning money, and a job that would show his mom that he was going to be responsible. Dog walking.

Toward the end of the story, the month was almost over and Otto was not very close to $500. He tried everything to earn enough money because dog walking just wasn’t earning him enough money. At this point Lexi was having kids over for tutoring every night. Otto had to do something to earn more money than Lexi, so he decided to walk more than one dog at once. Sadly, this idea was so successful and ended not getting paid by any of the owners. When the month came to end, neither of them had earned enough money for a pet. Otto started thinking that a cat would be better than no pet at all, so he gave the money that he earned to Lexi to get her kitten. But to his surprise, Otto’s Dad ended up getting him a dog, so that when he stayed with him he would have someone to keep him company.

Overall I believe that the story line was a little boring. The first reason I think this is because in the book there would be some chapters where it would just be about him walking a dog and then bringing it home. Another reason I think that the book was boring is because there wasn’t much action that made me want to keep reading. For Example, there would be parts of the book where he would just play soccer and walk dogs and that’s it. The last reason I think that the book was a little boring is because it was very repetitive. For instance, almost every other paragraph talked about how he hated his sister.

All in all, I believe that this book was good, but I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone over nine.

[Emily Freeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Pet War is the perfect example of good, old-fashion sibling rivalry. Otto and Lexi both want to get a pet, but neither can agree on which one their family should get. Otto desperately wants a dog, while Lexi argues that a cat would be a better fit. The bickering and pestering that ensues due to their inability to come to agreeance leads their mother to suggest a competition: whoever raises $500 first, before the end of the month, gets to choose the which pet to get for the family. This is a silly book targeted for upper-elementary/middle-grade readers. I wasn't the biggest fan of this book, as I tended to find both Otto and Lexi particularly irritating in their own right. I am not sure if it's due to my age lying outside the target demographic, or if that is a common feeling amongst other readers, but I just felt as if their personalities deterred me from enjoying the story. Maybe I would've enjoyed this book 7 years ago, but as of now it was not my favorite. I do think that the book was funny and, despite not loving Otto's character, his misfortunes and lack of responsibility often made me crack a smile during my read.

[Cassandra Doon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: The pet War
Author: Allan Woodrow
Genre: Children’s Books
Recommend: Yes
Amount of Pages 272
My feelings:


Otto's heart longed for a furry companion, but his sister Lexi was adamant about her love for cats. In a heated competition to earn money for their desired pet, Otto took on the task of dog walking with determination and diligence. However, his efforts were met with misfortune when one of his clients' dogs suffered an injury under his care. The setback weighed heavily on Otto, but he remained determined to earn enough money for a dog. Yet despite his best efforts, it seemed as though he couldn't catch a break. Seeing the disappointment in her brother's eyes, Lexi selflessly offered to use her own savings to get her beloved cat. Touched by her gesture, Otto's disappointment dissolved into genuine happiness for his sister. And just when things seemed hopeless, their father surprised Otto with a new dog as a reward for his kindness towards Lexi. This heartwarming story serves as an important lesson in teamwork and conflict resolution without touching on controversial themes, making it an ideal teaching tool for young minds.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illinois author, Allan Woodrow, has written a series (Zachary Ruthless) and other books under a different name. He totally claims this amusing realistic fiction as a partial reflection about his own childhood. The main character, Otto, and his sister, Lexi, want pets. Mom says that they can only have one and suggests a contest where the first one who raises $500 in a month will be the winner. The winner gets the pet that he or she wants. Otto wants a dog and Lexi, a cat! They think up many jobs to help raise money for the desired pet. Otto is not as responsible as his sister and suffers many trials and tribulations with a number of jobs until he becomes a dog walker. Even then, the situations that he gets into create many "laugh out loud" problems! The solution to the war for the favored pet is very satisfying. The premise that an eleven and a twelve year old can earn money while going to school and participating in other extra-curricular activities does stretch the imagination! Yet young people, ages 8-11, would especially enjoy this story about growing up.

[Annika Mackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking at the title I was unsure what this book was about. My initial thought was it would be in the point of view of either a dog or cat and tell a story of a rivalry between the two living in the same household. I was pleasantly surprised that that is not what it is about but was about a sibling rivalry instead. Otto and Lexi are at "war" over whether they should get a dog or cat as the family pet and both will go to any lengths to win. The story is told in the perspective of 11 year old Otto and Allan Woodrow did a good job at making the story feel like it is the thoughts and actions of an 11 year old boy.
The book was well written for its audience (fourth to fifth graders) and would recommend having this book in the classroom. The story can teach students the importance of responsibility as they watch how Otto becomes more responsible and reliable in order to get the funds he needs to get a dog.
I enjoyed reading this book because it reminded me of my own siblings and the contests we competed in together and against each other.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Otto who competes against his older sister, Lexi, in a pet war. Otto wants a dog, but Lexi is more of a cat person. They both argue about it until their mom says that they are for sure not getting any pet at all. The kids complain that it's not fair, and somehow come to an agreement: whoever raises the most money by the end of the month will get the pet of their choosing. Lexi always wins at everything, so Otto is determined to win this battle. He does everything he can to raise money, but settles on dog walking. In the end, they get a cat and dog. Fortunately for Otto, his dad had always dreamed of owning a dog. This book was okay, but it was honestly kind of boring because there weren't any mini climaxes. I don't recommend this book, but maybe you would enjoy it more than I did.

[Aidan Kutches · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it was about two siblings have a war over what kind of pet they should get, and some of my favorite parts were when Otto would get mad and react to whenever he'd see a poster by Lexi, when he'd mess up a dog walk by not trusting his instincts, when he came up with weird ideas like sawing his friend in half, when the dogs at the dog party he had went crazy over Mr.Chatterbox (an annoying toy), when he'd play with Thumper, when him and Lexi would "back and forth each other", when he messed up other ideas beside dog walking, when he ended up somewhat liking Lexi's cat Fluffernutter, when his dad adopted Thumper, when his mom would yell at him for not putting his coat and jacket in the mudroom, and when him and Malcolm called each other names joking.

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I’m sure anyone with siblings can relate, this book was a mirroring of my childhood. I am a cat-lady to my core, while my brother would rather run around the yard with dogs. The Pet War was hilarious and relatable. I felt so much love for Otto when he handed over his win to his sister, as I know my brother would have done something like that for me. I would use this book for a fun activity where students could rewrite parts of the book to fit arguments that they have had with their siblings (which would obviously need to be adjusted for students that do not have siblings). Students could also just free write about times they argued with a sibling (or best friend) and how they solved that situation.

[Valerie Erskine · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Pet War by Allan Woodrow is a book focusing on a classic brother and sister rivalry, Otto wants a Dog and Lexi wants a cat. Their mother comes up with an ingenious competition, the first to raise enough money gets the pet of their choosing. In end Otto and Lexi combine forces and decide to get a cat, after all a cat is better than no pet at all. This book reminds me unnervingly a lot of The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies which was published in 2007. Throughout the book I noticed an unbelievable amount of similarities, The Pet War just has a different drive for the competition. Besides some differences the plot is pretty much the same, because of this I had to rate it low. This book would be an awesome suggestion for a young reader that may need to learn about money

[Gracelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracelyn Pare
September Book Plug
8 Remote
September 30, 2020

The Book The Pet War by Allan Woodrow is about two siblings, Otto and Lexi. Otto really wants a dog, but Lexi really wants a cat. Their parents are divorced so the pet would have to travel with them when they stay with their mom and then their dad. Their mom created a challenge for them which will determine which pet they get. Whoever can raise 500 dollars by the end of the month decides what pet they get. Otto decides to walk dogs around the neighborhood and Lexi tutors and makes signs/posters for people. I gave this book a 10 out of 10 because I loved the entire book. It was so fun to see how much money they had at the start of a new chapter.

If you like the author Allan Woodrow and other popular children's book authors, then you will enjoy the book The Pet War by Allan Woodrow.

[EJ Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this with my 11 year old grandson. We had read and enjoyed “Class Dismissed”by the same author. I did not enjoy this one as much. The siblings just hated each other too much. I don’t understand trying so much to hurt your sibling or hating something just because they like it. I didn’t like the family dynamics in any way with the parents being recently divorced. Dad lounging in a bachelors pad and Mom working outside the home and trying to take care of the kids and home, etc. I realize that is reality many times but I don’t need to spend my time and money reading books like that especially with an eleven year old grandson how has plenty of drama in his own life.

[Margaret MacPherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two siblings going head to head each with different wants and goals but only one winner at the end, a common theme I find in many children's books. Two siblings get to "battle" over the family pet, who ever raises $500 after a month gets to chose which pet. It is a humorous story that is relatable to many with siblings. The characters are still likable despite the "battle" as they are not overly mean or cruel. Readers have the chance to learn how some wars aren't worth fighting hard for and no matter how hard you fight some battle will never been won. IT is a good message for children as is sometimes it's better to lose as you can find that in losing you can still win in a way, even if it's not the way you want at first. Middle readers will enjoy this book as the vocabulary used alongside a relatable story line makes its a good start of 3rd and 4th grade literature. WHile it's not award wining it is still a good piece of literature for a classroom.

[D'Anne Mosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otto wants a dog more than anything. But his sitter wants a cat. Their mom wants neither, but she says whoever can earn $500 in one month can choose the pet. But they have to prove their responsibility first! Unfortunately, that is not Otto’s strong suit. He has several miserable attempts at making money: selling cookies (they burnt), carrying groceries (put them in the wrong car), hosting a telethon for donations (couldn’t figure the logistics on that). Then he finally lands on a killer idea! Things are close in this Pet War—-and things get vicious!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a brother and sister decide it's time for a family pet, but they each have different ideas about what pet to get, let the war begin. Lexi and Otto propose a contest to see who can raise the $500 necessary to obtain a pet. Mom reluctancy agrees only if divorced dad agrees as well. Once that is secured, the contest, "war" begins. Each struggle with time management and figuring out that "perfect" money making opportunity. What will the family pet end up being: Lexi's cat or Otto's dog. With a few life lessons learned along the way, read to find out which becomes the perfect family pet.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I previewed this book for our elementary library students by reading aloud to my family (husband, 14 yr old son & 7 yr old daughter). There were a lot of humorous twists and surprises in this story where a brother and sister plot against each other and work hard to win the right to get a family pet. Both Lexi and Otto learn a lot about responsibility and each other. My kids thoroughly enjoyed this book and now want to read other books by the same author.

[Jessica Drinks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. Super fun story. Read this one out loud to my kiddos and they both enjoyed it. We liked Otto as a fun, unpredictable narrator and his interactions with his close-in-age sister who does everything she can to annoy the snot out of him (and him to her, I'm sure!). Each chapter started with a current amount of how much Otto had saved in the "war" to be the first to save $500 for a family pet.