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The Great Pet Sale
When a little boy goes to a sale at the pet store, a boisterous rat tries to convince the boy that he will be the perfect pet, but the little boy has a hard time choosing and wants to take all the adorable animals home.
16 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
2 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Mick Inkpen
389 books62 followersMick Inkpen is one of the most popular author/illustrators in the world. His books have sold over 4 million copies, and have been translated into over twenty different languages. His best-loved characters are probably Kipper and Wibbly Pig – who are both stars of their very own TV series!
He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.
In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.
In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 6, 2020
Could be used as a reinforcer for phonics sound 'oi'
Or as starter activity for climate change work or dicusssion
A young boy walks into a pet shop, a little brown rat is confident that he is much more interesting that the plethora of exotic animals this shop sells.
A story teaching you that no matter how small and seemingly plain, you are just as interesting as a komodo dragon...
Inkpen incorporates the concept of price and money into this story, making it a great educational resource as well as a fantastic story.
Or as starter activity for climate change work or dicusssion
A young boy walks into a pet shop, a little brown rat is confident that he is much more interesting that the plethora of exotic animals this shop sells.
A story teaching you that no matter how small and seemingly plain, you are just as interesting as a komodo dragon...
Inkpen incorporates the concept of price and money into this story, making it a great educational resource as well as a fantastic story.
August 23, 2021
This is always in my top ten favourite children's books, and I have lost count of the number of copies I have bought as presents. Mick Inkpen's illustrations are matched by a lively tale involving the pet shop of my dreams when I was a small girl. There is so much to talk about on each page with children of all ages, and the personality of the little rat is wonderful. My daughter, now 17, and I are unable to pass this book without picking it up. A classic every home and library deserves.
May 25, 2018
Great book for discussing financial literacy with children. Also brings in the concept of persuasive writing and marketing! Great little book with great pictures.
October 13, 2021
I think this is quite a fun book. Even without the flaps, the little rat would be an amusing character.
October 11, 2023
The story ended in a weird way.
October 30, 2012
One day a boy walks by a pet store and notices a sign on the window, “EVERYTHING MUST GO!” Also in the window is a small rat who shouts to the boy, “I’m a bargain! I’m only 1 cent! Choose me!” Naturally, the boy goes into the shop to see what other pets are selling cheap. There’s a turtle for 3 cents and a tortoise for 4 cents, but the rat assures the boy that rats are better. Things beginning with P are 5 cents each – penguin, puffin, platypus – but the rat tells the boy that R is much better than P, “R for Ratty!” There’s even a Komodo dragon for just 25 cents! The rat is despondent. There’s no way the boy would pick him over all the other fabulous pets. But the boy just smiles and counts up his money. He has exactly $1, “just enough to buy the rat…and everything else in the shop!”
Inkpen’s soft watercolor illustrations are set off against a plain white background. If your child is a fan of Kipper the dog, you will probably recognize his style. The animals are cartoonish with small dot eyes and rounded bodies and faces, especially the outspoken little rat. Flaps are incorporated into the illustrations as well. They are often used to reveal the persistent rat or other humorous visual elements. The text, written in past tense, is a combination of narrative and the rat’s dialogue with the boy. The clever use of counting currency throughout the story provides a strong through line and the numbers, printed in large, bold print, pop out on the page. I believe this book was originally published in the UK and in that edition the boy bought the pets with pounds and pence. The US version uses dollars and pennies instead.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
Inkpen’s soft watercolor illustrations are set off against a plain white background. If your child is a fan of Kipper the dog, you will probably recognize his style. The animals are cartoonish with small dot eyes and rounded bodies and faces, especially the outspoken little rat. Flaps are incorporated into the illustrations as well. They are often used to reveal the persistent rat or other humorous visual elements. The text, written in past tense, is a combination of narrative and the rat’s dialogue with the boy. The clever use of counting currency throughout the story provides a strong through line and the numbers, printed in large, bold print, pop out on the page. I believe this book was originally published in the UK and in that edition the boy bought the pets with pounds and pence. The US version uses dollars and pennies instead.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
September 10, 2009
I can't believe I am the first person to review this. I was familiar with Mick Ingpen but had never read his books before. I saw this on the table of books that they were selling from the local library and picked it up for $0.50. It was the best $0.50 I have spent in a long time. The book is very cute. It's about a little boy who goes to a petstore that is having a clearance sale. All animals must go. The first animal he sees is a rat for $0.01. The rat is... well ratty! His whiskers are broken, his fur is messy, but he really, really wants to find a home. He follows the boy around as he looks at the other animals and comes up with reasons why the boy wouldn't want them as a pet and why he would be an excellent pet.
Who does the little boy end up taking home? You'll have to read it to find out! Lift the flaps throughout the book make guessing what the next pet might be lots of fun!
Who does the little boy end up taking home? You'll have to read it to find out! Lift the flaps throughout the book make guessing what the next pet might be lots of fun!
March 20, 2013
‘The Great Pet Sale’ by Mick Inkpen is a wonderfully engaging picture book full of humour and the kind of ‘will he/won’t he’ suspense which young children love, so it is easily used to enhance English activities. But even the most casual reader will recognise the mathematics potential for learning it also contains. The immediate and
most obvious of these is that the total value of all the pets for sale in the shop is one pound. This means it can be used as a starting point for money activities with children working with money up to the value of a pound.
I read this book to my year 1 class, but it could also be used in the EYFS, year 2 and year 3.
most obvious of these is that the total value of all the pets for sale in the shop is one pound. This means it can be used as a starting point for money activities with children working with money up to the value of a pound.
I read this book to my year 1 class, but it could also be used in the EYFS, year 2 and year 3.
January 12, 2014
I bought this book years ago for my eldest son when he was about 6 years old, he is now almost 19 and going off to uni. He loved it back then. Last night his youngest brother who is 8 wanted me to read him a book and I found this one. I read it to him ... we loved it. Full of gentle humour and surprises and even a touch of maths. We took this to my eldest son, who could not remember it and his young brother read it to him and they both enjoyed it again.
Not sure which was the favourite moment ... the ending or the rat who could eat everything!
Not sure which was the favourite moment ... the ending or the rat who could eat everything!
October 17, 2011
This was a very cute picture book. There were many aspects of this book that could be used to help teach children through literature. Quotations were used throughout the book, which would make teaching children the proper way to use them easy. Money was also a common topic of this book. This book could be used to not only introduce children to the concept of money, but also about budgeting and choosing what they want most.
April 29, 2012
The Great Pet Sale
By Mick Inkpen
I am an Inkpen fan and this story for the very young is great! Children will want to have it read to them again and again. It has large, clear illustrations and by lifting the flaps children can reveal the many different animals for sale. This story could be used alongside other teaching to introduce children to money in the Reception class. This is a delightful little story.
By Mick Inkpen
I am an Inkpen fan and this story for the very young is great! Children will want to have it read to them again and again. It has large, clear illustrations and by lifting the flaps children can reveal the many different animals for sale. This story could be used alongside other teaching to introduce children to money in the Reception class. This is a delightful little story.
January 31, 2016
A little boy goes to a pet sale (where all the pets are so reasonably priced!) to find the perfect animal. He meets a rat first who pesters him throughout the story to buy him as the perfect pet.
The book had little flaps to look behind to see what the animals and their prices were - very fun.
Lovely illustrations.
The book had little flaps to look behind to see what the animals and their prices were - very fun.
Lovely illustrations.
March 23, 2024
Cute illustrations, a simple story, and some math in there too! Not as classic as Kipper, but it was fun seeing some more unusual animals showing up in a picture book. And if you can make a Komodo dragon look cute? You deserve to be recognized! Could be used in a counting/number storytime, or one on pets or any number of the individual animals included here.
January 20, 2014
I've liked Inkpen's work since I was a child having Kipper books read to me. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is cute enough. He has better though. Three star story with five star pictures, wording and fun lift the flaps!
September 19, 2015
A cute book about how a mouse is trying with everything he has to be bought by a boy who comes into the pet store. Everything must go, so this book counts by ones until you get to 10, representing 10 cents. Cute counting book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2011
A great book for KS1 children. Very useful as a cross curricular resource too!
May 31, 2013
Lift the flaps - sometimes the flaps seemed a bit off. But overall, little rat carries the story until its surprise ending.
November 18, 2013
I have but one problem with this book, the prices are ridiculous. I wish some of those pets were that price, I'd have them.
December 27, 2015
so-so counting book
May 16, 2016
You have to love the Rat, the ultimate salesperson. When his irrepressible cheer begins to wane, the heart does lurch, but the boy comes through in the End.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews