Just Like Dad (Little Critter)

Rating:
Summary: Poor Little Critter
Review: Little Critter, for all intents and purposes, is supposed to represent everychild. His yearnings for an adult life consume his present-day thoughts and activities, thereby robbing him (or her) of the pleasures experienced in childhood. Oh, you poor, sweet Little Critter. You'll grow up soon enough and begin to endure the complexities of adolescence. You'll be bombarded by love, hate, fear, joy, lust, greed, and numerous other personal idiosyncracies that left unmanaged, will turn you into someone your own mother may not recognize. Aside from the psychological obstacles placed in your path, you also have the physical appearance of some sort of giant mutant rat. That will cause you much grief as you enter the "real world," because people are cruel, and not used to coexisting with unnaturely-sized rodents, especially those who walk on their hind legs and wear human clothes.

I read this book expecting to find a depiction of pain and suffering that was overcome by sheer determination and desire; a story, if you will, of one being (rat, mouse, wolverine, I'm still not sure what he is) who just wanted to have his father consider him an equal. Instead, I found a very weak plot that involved this little "critter" envisioning all the things he would do when he got older.

In reading this book, I believed that the creature took a lot for granted. Envisioning growing up means that you are planning for a future life. If the times we live in have taught us anything, it is that there may not be a future life. Considering the triple threat of Bin Laden, Hussein, and the proliferation of teen pop stars, our time above the surface of the earth may be limited, or at the very least become seemingly unbearable. Another point is that the book depicted absolutely no negative real world situations such as taxes, spousal infidelity, pathetic network programming, or Jesse Helms.

In summary, if you have a chance to read this book, do so with the knowledge that Little Critter and his family are living sheltered lives. I understand that there is a series of these books. Perhaps in either a previous volume or one in the future, the author can more clearly define exactly what kind of creatures these beings are, and where they live. I might want to move there myself.

Rating:
Summary: Just like Dad
Review: The book "Just like Dad" is about a boy who wants to be just like his dad when he grows up. The lesson I think it taught was how to have a role model and to choose a person to look up to. I think that this book is great for any age because it teaches an awesome lesson and it really warms the heart and reminds you of your childhood and how you looked up to someone. I think this book was very good it was so heartwarming to see the relationship he has with his dad and to know how much he looks up to him.

Rating:
Summary: A+
Review: This book is very good. It's about wanting to be just like you dad. Which most kids do want to be like their dad, little critter explains how he'll be able to watch anything he wants to on television but still won't watch the news. He copies his dad on a lot of things that he does, but little critter could get into the way sometimes. It's a good read for the little ones and an excellent addition to anyone's Mercer Mayer collection. I am 12 and I still enjoy picking up a Little Critter book every once and awhile, they have great morals. I rate this a 5 out of 5.