The Boy and the Pet Rat

Ethan has always been fascinated by animals, but he has never had a pet to call his own. A visit to the animal shelter with his mom changes that when he meets two small rats and decides to adopt them. He names the bold, playful cream-and-white rat Pip and the shy, gentle grey-and-white rat Nibbles, and sets up a cozy cage for them at home.

Seeing that the rats seem bored, Ethan uses his tool pouch to build them a climbing toy with cardboard tubes, wooden blocks, ramps, tunnels, and a little hammock. Pip scrambles to the top right away, while Nibbles needs gentle encouragement before she finds her courage. As the days pass, Ethan learns how to care for his pets properly, giving them fresh food and water and keeping their cage clean, and he discovers that rats groom themselves and are very clean animals. This heartwarming tale by Jane MEADOW can be read on Kids Tale Book.