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I Love Guinea Pigs
"A wonderful celebration of the attributes of guinea pigs. . . . A popular pet and familiar subject is given new vigor and interest through originality, love, and respect." — The Boston Globe
I Love Guinea Pigs is an affectionate guide to the most charming of very small animals. Did you know, for instance, that guinea pigs rarely get sick and love to eat? Or that they love one another and have adorable children too? Portrayed in all their amiable chunkiness, guinea pigs finally receive the tribute they so richly deserve.
I Love Guinea Pigs is an affectionate guide to the most charming of very small animals. Did you know, for instance, that guinea pigs rarely get sick and love to eat? Or that they love one another and have adorable children too? Portrayed in all their amiable chunkiness, guinea pigs finally receive the tribute they so richly deserve.
32 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 1994
About the author
Dick King-Smith
333 books308 followersDick King-Smith was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England, surrounded by pet animals. After twenty years as a farmer, he turned to teaching and then to writing children's books.
Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.
Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.
Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.
Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
February 27, 2010
Before I came across this book, I did not like guinea pigs. The only ones I'd ever met were squeaky, bitey animals who weren't socialized to like people. It's hard to like animals that bite you when you try to pet them!
Plus, I accidentally lost my cousins' guinea pig when I was 12, so I have guinea pig guilt, too. (If you bring a guinea pig out on in the yard to eat grass, you have to keep an eye on it, or it WILL disappear.)
But this book make me a convert. King-Smith's description of these adorably shaped, affectionate talkers actually makes me consider getting one (I won't, I have cats). Did you know that baby guinea pigs are born fully furred and ready to run around? Or eat and talk, which are guinea pigs two favorite things to do? Well, they are!
The affection for the pigs shines through both the text and the pictures, of guinea pigs eating, playing, talking, and looking sweet and impossibly cute.
Warning: Don't show this book to your kids unless you want a guinea pig for a pet. :)
Plus, I accidentally lost my cousins' guinea pig when I was 12, so I have guinea pig guilt, too. (If you bring a guinea pig out on in the yard to eat grass, you have to keep an eye on it, or it WILL disappear.)
But this book make me a convert. King-Smith's description of these adorably shaped, affectionate talkers actually makes me consider getting one (I won't, I have cats). Did you know that baby guinea pigs are born fully furred and ready to run around? Or eat and talk, which are guinea pigs two favorite things to do? Well, they are!
The affection for the pigs shines through both the text and the pictures, of guinea pigs eating, playing, talking, and looking sweet and impossibly cute.
Warning: Don't show this book to your kids unless you want a guinea pig for a pet. :)
November 19, 2019
I don't think I'd ever really considered the charms of the guinea pig - having never had one as a pet myself, nor encountered them much, as a child - before reading a review of this adorable book. But now, having read I Love Guinea Pigs, a picture-book by the prolific Dick King-Smith - whose many animals adventures, for slightly older readers, include titles like
Babe: The Gallant Pig
and
A Mouse Called Wolf
- I am won over by their personality, their endearing habits, and yes, by their almost unbearably cute appearance.
I had no idea that there were different types of guinea pig (again, having never really thought about the topic), nor that they were such chatty animals! Part of the Read and Wonder series, which attempts to combine picture-book virtues like good storytelling and quality illustrations, with an informative, fact-filled text, this book taught me how little I knew about this animal. The watercolor artwork by Anita Jeram - perhaps best known as the illustrator of Guess How Much I Love You - was sweet and appealing. All in all, an excellent introduction to these cavy darlings, one I would recommend to all young guinea pig lovers, or any child thinking of getting a guinea pig as a pet!
I had no idea that there were different types of guinea pig (again, having never really thought about the topic), nor that they were such chatty animals! Part of the Read and Wonder series, which attempts to combine picture-book virtues like good storytelling and quality illustrations, with an informative, fact-filled text, this book taught me how little I knew about this animal. The watercolor artwork by Anita Jeram - perhaps best known as the illustrator of Guess How Much I Love You - was sweet and appealing. All in all, an excellent introduction to these cavy darlings, one I would recommend to all young guinea pig lovers, or any child thinking of getting a guinea pig as a pet!
April 18, 2011
Very cute and informative little story about the author's love of guinea pigs! I've never owned guinea pigs myself and, while I always thought they looked kind of cute, never had much interest in them. This book really made me appreciate them! I learned how much they love to converse with one another, that their babies are born with fur (making them extra-cute), and that Guinea pigs even PURR! How cute is that!? If you plan to share this with young/sensitive children, do note that the author talks about how he misses two of his own guinea pigs and buried them in the backyard--it's all done very thoughtfully and shows how their memory stays with him but it might be upsetting to some readers especially if they have not lost a pet themselves yet. Otherwise, it's a very joyous and interesting little introduction to these very neat creatures.
November 20, 2019
Dick King-Smith writes this study of guinea-pigs from a very personal viewpoint, mixing facts with feelings which brings about a warm feeling for the guinea-pig.
He begins by informing the reader that it is a myth that if guinea-pigs are held up by their tail, their eyes will drop out … as he points out, obviously not true for guinea-pigs don't have tails! And they aren't even pigs, they're 'rodents like mice and rats and squirrels'.
As for their name, they were first brought to Europe about 400 years ago by Spanish sailors, probably from a country in South America called Dutch Guiana … and the sailors called the animals 'guiana pigs'.
We even learn the Latin name for them, Cavia porcellus, as they are members of the cavy [South American rodent] family. They appear in lots of different colours and they can be smooth, rough or long-coated; varieties include Smooth, Peruvian, Crested, Sheltie and Abyssinian, the last named being the author's favourite.
They are sensible and easy to keep as pets, not liking the cold or damp and not happy living in 'a poky little place', they like something more roomy and palatial! They are hardy animals, don't often fall ill and properly looked after, will live for a long time.
Dick King-Smith then gives some personal reminiscences of keeping guinea-pigs; he once had a crested sow called Zen and, as well as the traditional food of hay and pellets from the pet shop, he fed them different kinds of food such as cabbage and cauliflower leaves, carrots, bread and apple peelings. In addition they had plenty of clean drinking water every day.
The nice thing about them is that if they are handled regularly and carried about they become really fond of their owner. They do talk a lot and the author gives examples of their chatting with PURR meaning 'I love you'!
He tells of how their young are born and how they react and speaks lovingly of his two favourite guinea-pigs, both Abyssinians named King Arthur and Beach Boy, and both are buried under an apple tree in his garden. And his overriding felling of his guinea-pigs is of how much pleasure he has had from owning them.
And this account will bring pleasure to many readers, some of whom might decide to adopt a guinea-pig!
He begins by informing the reader that it is a myth that if guinea-pigs are held up by their tail, their eyes will drop out … as he points out, obviously not true for guinea-pigs don't have tails! And they aren't even pigs, they're 'rodents like mice and rats and squirrels'.
As for their name, they were first brought to Europe about 400 years ago by Spanish sailors, probably from a country in South America called Dutch Guiana … and the sailors called the animals 'guiana pigs'.
We even learn the Latin name for them, Cavia porcellus, as they are members of the cavy [South American rodent] family. They appear in lots of different colours and they can be smooth, rough or long-coated; varieties include Smooth, Peruvian, Crested, Sheltie and Abyssinian, the last named being the author's favourite.
They are sensible and easy to keep as pets, not liking the cold or damp and not happy living in 'a poky little place', they like something more roomy and palatial! They are hardy animals, don't often fall ill and properly looked after, will live for a long time.
Dick King-Smith then gives some personal reminiscences of keeping guinea-pigs; he once had a crested sow called Zen and, as well as the traditional food of hay and pellets from the pet shop, he fed them different kinds of food such as cabbage and cauliflower leaves, carrots, bread and apple peelings. In addition they had plenty of clean drinking water every day.
The nice thing about them is that if they are handled regularly and carried about they become really fond of their owner. They do talk a lot and the author gives examples of their chatting with PURR meaning 'I love you'!
He tells of how their young are born and how they react and speaks lovingly of his two favourite guinea-pigs, both Abyssinians named King Arthur and Beach Boy, and both are buried under an apple tree in his garden. And his overriding felling of his guinea-pigs is of how much pleasure he has had from owning them.
And this account will bring pleasure to many readers, some of whom might decide to adopt a guinea-pig!
December 15, 2024
I will admit, I'm biased toward anything guinea pig-related, but this is a truly adorable book. The author shares some facts about the critters, but also just discusses how much he loves them. The illustrations are adorable.
May 31, 2022
Looking at an adorable illustration of a guinea pig that I had shared on my Instagram story, my dear friend, Heidi, who remembers hundreds of delightful children’s literature, recommended this book. Although e-copies were not available in India, I stumbled upon an e-copy on archive.org, and the website let me borrow the book for an hour. Some days, regardless of how they start, turn out to be perfect.
Dick King-Smith lived with guinea pigs since he was six and until he turned sixty. In this sweet book, affectionately illustrated by Anita Jeram, Dick King-Smith draws from his own experiences of living with guinea pigs and tells readers about the origin of the furry rodents, their favourite foods, their favourite sounds, and even their life pursuits. Next time when I meet them, I wouldn’t need anyone’s help to hold them the right way.
When you are an adult, it’s easy to look guinea pigs up on Wikipedia to know about their lifespan and how they behave and other clinical details. But what’s the fun in that staid exercise when children’s literature can bring colours and benevolent voice to the information?
‘One especially nice thing about guinea pigs is that if you make a fuss over them, they become really fond of you.’
I have lived all my adult life with nonhuman animals, and I know what an invaluable validation it is to be trusted by them. Dick King-Smith just doesn’t teach children and adults about the bodies and minds of guinea pigs, but how to make them fall in love with us, too. I love being reminded of that privilege every once in a while. If not for children’s literature, what else can be a helpful reminder!
Dick King-Smith lived with guinea pigs since he was six and until he turned sixty. In this sweet book, affectionately illustrated by Anita Jeram, Dick King-Smith draws from his own experiences of living with guinea pigs and tells readers about the origin of the furry rodents, their favourite foods, their favourite sounds, and even their life pursuits. Next time when I meet them, I wouldn’t need anyone’s help to hold them the right way.
When you are an adult, it’s easy to look guinea pigs up on Wikipedia to know about their lifespan and how they behave and other clinical details. But what’s the fun in that staid exercise when children’s literature can bring colours and benevolent voice to the information?
‘One especially nice thing about guinea pigs is that if you make a fuss over them, they become really fond of you.’
I have lived all my adult life with nonhuman animals, and I know what an invaluable validation it is to be trusted by them. Dick King-Smith just doesn’t teach children and adults about the bodies and minds of guinea pigs, but how to make them fall in love with us, too. I love being reminded of that privilege every once in a while. If not for children’s literature, what else can be a helpful reminder!
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June 1, 2022An all time favorite! Charming.
June 8, 2022
Author Dick King-Smith shares his passion for guinea pigs by sharing various facts about them.
November 19, 2019
rating: 3.5 stars
A perfect introduction to guinea pigs, particularly if a child has (or is getting) one as a pet. But, even if a guinea pig pet isn't likely to appear in the near future, it's a fun introduction to these little animals. (Pet stores should have a rack of these books next to the guinea pigs they have for sale.)
Nice balance of art and text. Well-done art, but a little more text would have been appreciated. For example, this sentence appears twice: One especially nice thing about guinea pigs is that if you make a fuss over them, they become really fond of you. So, the logical question, which is not addressed, is, "How do you know if they are really fond of you?"
Now, I need to see some new born guinea pigs, and I want to know how old they are when they begin to talk.
(The first sentence made me cringe: There's a silly old saying that if you hold a guinea pig up by its tail, its eyes will drop out.. I've never heard that old saying, and I think it should have been omitted so it can be forgotten.)
A perfect introduction to guinea pigs, particularly if a child has (or is getting) one as a pet. But, even if a guinea pig pet isn't likely to appear in the near future, it's a fun introduction to these little animals. (Pet stores should have a rack of these books next to the guinea pigs they have for sale.)
Nice balance of art and text. Well-done art, but a little more text would have been appreciated. For example, this sentence appears twice: One especially nice thing about guinea pigs is that if you make a fuss over them, they become really fond of you. So, the logical question, which is not addressed, is, "How do you know if they are really fond of you?"
Now, I need to see some new born guinea pigs, and I want to know how old they are when they begin to talk.
(The first sentence made me cringe: There's a silly old saying that if you hold a guinea pig up by its tail, its eyes will drop out.. I've never heard that old saying, and I think it should have been omitted so it can be forgotten.)
November 25, 2025
I had a copy of this in the 1990s when I was kept by guinea pigs (can't have them now because of the dogs.) I miss the book and may wind up purchasing a replacement copy some day.
This book was quite sad at times, which surprised me since it was aimed for kids. Then again, I keep forgetting how tough kids are. The words are simple and well-chosen, telling the stories of Dick King-Smith's pet piggies (and aborted attempt at keeping pet game fowl). And like me he likes Abyssinians best! (But all piggies are perfect in their own way). The full-color illustrations by Anita Jeram are gorgeous.
This book was quite sad at times, which surprised me since it was aimed for kids. Then again, I keep forgetting how tough kids are. The words are simple and well-chosen, telling the stories of Dick King-Smith's pet piggies (and aborted attempt at keeping pet game fowl). And like me he likes Abyssinians best! (But all piggies are perfect in their own way). The full-color illustrations by Anita Jeram are gorgeous.
July 18, 2016
I continue to read down my to-read list and I was surprised how much I learned about guinea pigs from this cute children's book. But then again, I love Dick King-Smith's stuff.
October 16, 2016
Cute and instructive for little kids.
March 29, 2019
Love it absolutely fabulous book
April 6, 2024
There's a silly old saying that if you hold a guinea-pig up by its tail, its eyes will drop out. Well of course they wouldn't, even if you could. Which you couldn't, because guinea-pigs don't have tails. And they aren't pigs either. They're rodents - like mice and rats and squirrels.
I won't lie, we picked this up for a friend's daughter, but I couldn't resist giving it a quick read as we love Dick King-Smith, especially The Hodgeheg.
What I didn't realise was that this is a non-fiction book about all things Guinea-Pig. Where I expected an exciting tale about an adventurous Guinea-pig, I found an author's love affair with these charming animals with hints and tips for budding owners.
I think our next additions to the menagerie (currently 5 cats, 2 African pygmy hedgehogs, and a Madagascan Lesser Tenrec) will be a couple of Guinea-pigs.
I will leave you with this little snippet, which I wasn't previously aware of...
In fact the guinea-pig is a member of the cavy family, and its Latin name is Cavia porcellus (which means a piggy-looking cary).
5 stars.
I won't lie, we picked this up for a friend's daughter, but I couldn't resist giving it a quick read as we love Dick King-Smith, especially The Hodgeheg.
What I didn't realise was that this is a non-fiction book about all things Guinea-Pig. Where I expected an exciting tale about an adventurous Guinea-pig, I found an author's love affair with these charming animals with hints and tips for budding owners.
I think our next additions to the menagerie (currently 5 cats, 2 African pygmy hedgehogs, and a Madagascan Lesser Tenrec) will be a couple of Guinea-pigs.
I will leave you with this little snippet, which I wasn't previously aware of...
In fact the guinea-pig is a member of the cavy family, and its Latin name is Cavia porcellus (which means a piggy-looking cary).
5 stars.
April 30, 2020
I think this is a great book to have on a classroom library shelf for children to pick up during free reading time. It makes comparisons between guinea pigs and real pigs (which is probably helpful and confusing at first to young children!) and is informative in a cute attention grabbing way. Perfect for that student who has a pet guinea pig or is instantly drawn to books about any animals in general!
March 19, 2018
This is a lovely book - very informative and gives good advice for children to follow about the importance or fresh water and picking guinea pigs up correctly and keeping them warm. I really liked the bits about the author's personal experiences of keeping guinea pigs and their names and what they looked like. It made me feel fuzzy inside!
March 5, 2020
Lots of text so if I did read this to preschoolers I would have to shorten it or paraphrase because there's a lot of text. It's a sweet story though about why the author loves guinea pigs. There are also little facts throughout the book about guinea pigs. It was cute to learn that they make various noises and that when they say purr to another guinea pig, it means "I love you".
October 9, 2020
I love guinea pigs and this book. Every word is perfect and the illustrations are adorable. I like that it mentions pets that have died, but it is fairly matter of fact and it is not sad. Also a very relatable experience with 1st and 2nd graders. Afterwards we all shared our pets and I got to see them all over zoom.
July 29, 2024
Loved this book. It is super sweet. I really deeply appreciate when you yourself aren’t really into something (like birding, say) but you know someone who absolutely loves it and their enthusiasm rubs off on you. I have fond memories of reading other books by Dick King-Smith. He gives enough interesting information to intrigue the reader without overwhelming them.
December 17, 2017
Dick King-Smith raised many guinea pigs over the course of half a century. The simple text describes why he likes guinea pigs and a little about the history of these animals and their habits. Jeram's illustrations are spot-on.
September 30, 2019
If you like guinea pigs or want to know about them, this is a great book. Written by someone who has owned and loved guinea pigs his whole life! The art is cute, as well.
November 16, 2019
Interesting and informative
January 5, 2021
My younger Step sister and I loved the cute pictures of guinea pigs in this book, adorable read! Having two guinea pigs myself I enjoyed every bit while reading this book!
February 10, 2026
Great book to introduce guinea pigs to future child owners.
November 18, 2019
This was one of my favorite books from the Fountas and Pinnell reading curriculum. Students were engaged and nearly all participated in the discussion of the book. After reading the book, the students and I discussed how opinions differ from facts. Afterward, we wrote a summary together of the book that included both facts and opinions.
July 10, 2020
This book appealed to me because I have guinea pigs myself, and I'm sure the same would be true for children who have, or whose friends or relatives have, guinea pigs. It provides non-fiction information in a very accessible way for EYFS/KS1 and older children may also enjoy it if they learn something from it. It also introduces nature-living children to Dick King-Smith so it might lead them on to reading his longer animal-focused stories like How Green Was My Mouse and Babe: The Sheep Pig.
I liked that the voice of the narrator was important to the book because it matched with why people keep and learn about animals like guinea pigs that are typically kept as pets: love for them and the connections we can build with other species.
It would be best chosen by individual children out of personal interest, but could be read as a class in combination with a visit from a child's pretty, looking after a class pet, etc. Beyond links to real guinea pigs, children could take this book as inspiration to make their own books in the same style about an animal they love it could do some extra research of their own about guinea pigs.
I liked that the voice of the narrator was important to the book because it matched with why people keep and learn about animals like guinea pigs that are typically kept as pets: love for them and the connections we can build with other species.
It would be best chosen by individual children out of personal interest, but could be read as a class in combination with a visit from a child's pretty, looking after a class pet, etc. Beyond links to real guinea pigs, children could take this book as inspiration to make their own books in the same style about an animal they love it could do some extra research of their own about guinea pigs.
October 21, 2010
We recently adopted two very cute little "piggies." We read a lot of facts on the internet about raising guinea pigs, along with some very stern advice about how to humanely keep the adorably round-bottomed critters. While much of what we read was written by people who surely love and care for their cavies, much of it lacked a palpable sense of love and, quite frankly, the kids were bored to death by the lists and dry descriptions of how to keep these spirited rodents.
Finally, we found Dick King-Smith's delightful, charming, and passionate I LOVE GUINEA PIGS. While we knew some of the information King-Smith had to share, all of it really sunk in because it was expressed with clear admiration and love. The illustrations by Anita Jeram are delightful and really capture the look and personality of the cuddly creatures.
At the same time that we bought this book, we also bought Sammy The Classroom Guinea Pig, which is a fictional story and also one that we would highly recommend.
Finally, we found Dick King-Smith's delightful, charming, and passionate I LOVE GUINEA PIGS. While we knew some of the information King-Smith had to share, all of it really sunk in because it was expressed with clear admiration and love. The illustrations by Anita Jeram are delightful and really capture the look and personality of the cuddly creatures.
At the same time that we bought this book, we also bought Sammy The Classroom Guinea Pig, which is a fictional story and also one that we would highly recommend.
October 21, 2014
I wrote this review as part of my PGCE course.
This is a book about Dick King Smith’s love for guinea pigs; it combines a potted history of the pet, animal care tips and the author’s personal recollections of guinea pigs he has known and loved. As a guinea pig lover myself, this book appealed to me immediately. Its illustrations are incredibly cute, charming and evocative. I discussed the book with a few Year 1 pupils during free reading and I found they were all engaged by the issue of guinea pigs’ (lack of) tails.
This is a marvellous book-corner book for KS1/EYFS. The anecdotes about King Arthur and Beach Boy, two boars long-since deceased, are a very interesting way to talk to children about the death of pets and how we remember people and animals after they have died. I could also see the text being used as a useful model for memoir writing. In a topic about pets, it could be used as an information book on petcare.
This is a book about Dick King Smith’s love for guinea pigs; it combines a potted history of the pet, animal care tips and the author’s personal recollections of guinea pigs he has known and loved. As a guinea pig lover myself, this book appealed to me immediately. Its illustrations are incredibly cute, charming and evocative. I discussed the book with a few Year 1 pupils during free reading and I found they were all engaged by the issue of guinea pigs’ (lack of) tails.
This is a marvellous book-corner book for KS1/EYFS. The anecdotes about King Arthur and Beach Boy, two boars long-since deceased, are a very interesting way to talk to children about the death of pets and how we remember people and animals after they have died. I could also see the text being used as a useful model for memoir writing. In a topic about pets, it could be used as an information book on petcare.
Read
September 14, 2016I Love Guinea Pigs is a nonfiction book. It tells about facts to do with guinea pigs, like what the male and female are called, the different breeds, and where they came from. It also has a personal touch to it which makes it great for kids. The author tells about his own experience with them, even two of them dying.
I like this book a lot because it made facts about an animal I'm not really interested in seem interesting. I think it would be good to show students how cool nonfiction books can be. The explanation of the two dying at the end is also very good. It shows how a something dying doesn't have to be sad, it can be happy just to know they were there.
I like this book a lot because it made facts about an animal I'm not really interested in seem interesting. I think it would be good to show students how cool nonfiction books can be. The explanation of the two dying at the end is also very good. It shows how a something dying doesn't have to be sad, it can be happy just to know they were there.
July 18, 2010
now i want one.
this is King-Smith's lovesong about guinea pigs. Timmy didn't love Lassie as much as King-Smith loves the little rodents. how to care for them, different kinds, how to pick them up etc. should be in every classroom that has one.
give this book to a kid whose parents you want to annoy. i could see a retiring third grade teacher giving this and a one pound bar of chocolate from trader joe's to all the kids on her last day of teaching.
this is King-Smith's lovesong about guinea pigs. Timmy didn't love Lassie as much as King-Smith loves the little rodents. how to care for them, different kinds, how to pick them up etc. should be in every classroom that has one.
give this book to a kid whose parents you want to annoy. i could see a retiring third grade teacher giving this and a one pound bar of chocolate from trader joe's to all the kids on her last day of teaching.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews