If I Had a Gryphon

by Vikki VanSickle, Cale Atkinson (Illustrator)

Overview

Sam just got a hamster for a pet. But the hamster is kind of boring ... he just eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. Inspired by her book of mythological creatures, Sam longs for a more exciting pet. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she thought. Sasquatches are messy, unicorns are shy, hippogriffs scare the dogs at the dogpark, and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. In the end, Sam realizes that her hamster is a pretty sweet and safe pet ... or is he?
If I Had a Gryphon is a raucous rhyming read-aloud about fantastical beasts in everyday situations—and the increasingly beleaguered heroine who has to deal with them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735264656
Publisher:	Tundra
Publication date:	10/02/2018
Pages:	30
Sales rank:	1,105,272
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 8.06(h) x 0.66(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

Vikki VanSickle is the author of the acclaimed Clarissa books, including Words that Start with B, Love Is a Four-Letter Word and Days that End in Y. Vikki's most recent middle grade novel, Summer Days, Starry Nights, has been called "Summer reading at its best" and is a finalist for the 2015 Red Maple Award. After obtaining an MA in Children's Literature from UBC, Vikki's career began in bookselling at The Flying Dragon Bookshop, which earned her the 2011 CBA Young Bookseller of the Year award. She is a popular children's lit blogger and is frequently called upon to speak about kids' books for radio panels, conferences, and as Lainey Gossip's YA mentor! Currently she balances writing with her duties as the Marketing and Publicity Manager for Young Readers at Penguin Canada. The author lives in Toronto, ON.

Editorial Reviews

11/23/2015
Already bored with her new hamster, a girl with ochre skin, rosy cheeks, and square-framed glasses imagines life with an array of mythological creatures as pets. VanSickle (Summer Days, Starry Nights) and Atkinson (To the Sea) have a blast envisioning the possibilities, revealing the pros and cons of each monster. A handsome lavender unicorn would mean prancing through fields of flowers and snacking on nectarines, but they can also be shy (Atkinson shows the girl and her friends looking unimpressed as the horse cowers under the bed). A hippogriff—whose bird half is more blue jay than eagle—doesn’t do well at the dog park, “Kirin needs a field of grass/ At least an ocean wide,” and “Jackalope needs sturdy reins/ for bumpy, jumpy rides.” VanSickle’s rhymes are unflaggingly exuberant as the girl puts up with noisy harpies, biting chupacabras, and mischievous fairies, and Atkinson fills the pages with visual comedy. In one of the funniest scenes, a dopey-looking kraken grins innocently as its tentacles snag an ocean liner and a rather perturbed whale. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Sally Harding, Cooke Agency. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

One of Book Riot's 50 Must-Read Fantasy Books for Kids, 2018
One of Book Riot's 38 Children’s Book Gift Ideas for Clueless Grown-Ups, 2018
One of CCBC’S Best Books for Kids & Teens (Spring 2019)

PRAISE FOR If I Had a Gryphon:

"Just right after all. VanSickle delivers lean, bouncy verse and an impressive array of offbeat creatures, while Atkinson's illustrations are bold and hint at dynamic motion." —Kirkus Reviews

“VanSickle’s rhymes are unflaggingly exuberant as the girl puts up with noisy harpies, biting chupacabras, and mischievous fairies, and Atkinson fills the pages with visual comedy.” —Publishers Weekly

“[T]he whimsical, rhyming story of a girl’s desire for the perfect pet is a fun and fabulous examination of being careful what you wish for and happy with what you have.” —Quill & Quire

"The humorous storyline, the strong rhyming scheme, and the bold illustrations by Cale Atkinson make If I Had a Gryphon a marvellous addition to the picture book genre. Sure to be a favourite among fantasy fans and those contemplating what their perfect pet might be—mythical or otherwise!” —CM Magazine

“[P]rovides a unique intro to the differences between myths and reality for little learners.” —Teacher Librarian

“[P]rovides a unique intro to the differences between myths and reality for little learners.

From the Publisher

2015-12-08
An imaginative little girl dreams of an exotic pet. Sam, who wears big square glasses and a serious expression, just got a hamster, her first pet. He mostly sleeps and eats, she notes, "and gets his shavings wet." She is far from impressed. Why can't she have a unicorn? They'd "prance through fields of posies," and she could "shine her horn with candy corn." Or what about a hippogriff? He might scare the dogs in the dog park. A pet sasquatch could be fun (except for combing out its snarled fur), or what about flying on the back of a gryphon? If she had a kraken, she could go on deep-sea dives. A kirin needs acres of grass, a jackalope requires "sturdy reins for bumpy, jumpy rides." If Sam had a dragon, she'd probably need a fire extinguisher, and a manticore would require intensive dental care. What about a harpy? Too screechy. A basilisk? Too slippery. Mermaids brush their hair all day, fairies play too many tricks, kelpies are hard to catch. Sam looks at her hamster again, staring at her with big bright eyes, cute tiny feet, and a furry belly. Just right after all. VanSickle delivers lean, bouncy verse and an impressive array of offbeat creatures, while Atkinson's illustrations are bold and hint at dynamic motion. Sam is depicted as a bespectacled, dark-skinned girl with long, brown hair and wearing plaid flannel. Brisk and bright, if a tad one-dimensional. (Picture book. 5-7)

Kirkus Reviews