I heart pets by Meredith Costain

Ella diaries. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781760153038
(Age: 6-10) While reading the first few pages of Ella diaries: I heart pets, I was quickly reminded of two of my current year 4 students. Ella, our main character, records her thoughts and feelings in diary entries and these entries tell the story. She is just like my two students - chatty, creative and dramatic - and so I highly recommend this for girls aged 8+.
Ella and her friend Zoe love pets. Unfortunately, Ella's school enemy sounds a lot more dedicated to animals and Ella is determined to show she is more dedicated. Ella's first plan is to persuade her parents that they need more pets so she has more animals to study. Ella's parents don't agree. Her next plan is to become a pet minder. Ella's parents don't agree of course. Ella's final plans are to become a pet walker. As luck would have it, Ella's first job is to mind a lizard and, after much persuasion, her mum allows it. Of course, it can't be easy and the lizard escapes. Will Ella find Lizzie the lizard? Why is her school enemy looking so suspicious? Will Ella and Zoe figure it out?
This is a very cute and easy-to-read story. The text moves quickly and it is descriptive. The small illustrations are engaging and add to the detail of the story. It reminds me of other series that have been set out in the diary format. Ella diaries: I heart pets would be a great book to read to the class, especially during an animal unit as it talks about creating animal fact files. Children could create their own animal fact files based on a country they are studying in Geography or when studying animal adaptations in Science.
Kylie Kempster