Tails Are Not for Pulling
By: Elizabeth Verdick
Illustrated By: Marieka Heinlen
Publication: September 15, 2005 by Free Spirit Publishing
24 pages
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Manners
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)
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Description--If pets could talk, what would they say? Maybe “Fur is for petting, backs are for scratching, noses are for nuzzling . . . and tails are not for pulling!” Toddlers and pets belong together—as long as toddlers don’t chase, grab, squeeze, yank, and tease. In simple words and delightful illustrations, this book teaches the basics of kindness to animals: careful handling, awareness, safety, and respect. It also includes helpful tips for parents and caregivers.
We have been studying manners in our homeschool, and we got our first dog and family pet this past October. So when I saw Tails Are Not for Pulling for review, I grabbed it. My older children are very calm with our dog, although they had to learn to the proper way to handle him. My youngest son, who is only 4 years old now, is still a little rough with him from time to time. He knows better, but sometimes he gets a little wild. The content in this book is best suited for smaller children and probably even younger than 4.
I liked how the book starts off with wondering how if animals could talk, what would they say. It goes through some common pet animal sounds. Then the book enters into a series of statements that are about how to properly handle a pet. For example: "fur is for petting, not grabbing" and "ears are for listening, not yanking." This establishes that there are good and proper ways to handle our pets. That section ends with "Tails are not for pulling. Ouch, that hurts." Even young children understand pain and "ouch". The book then goes into some other things a pet might want to say. For example: "Hey, my bowl is empty!" or "Gee, I could use a walk." This shows the different ways that animals need to be cared for. The book then emphasizes that pets are for loving, not teasing. And then some examples for teasing are given. Like "holding toys out of reach" or "pretending to steal food". The book shows how teasing might feel for both the pet and the child, which, again, I think all children can relate to. And then some warning signs are given that an animal might give you to show that they're unhappy with your treatment. A few tips are given about approaching someone else's pet.
All in all, I think Tails Are Not for Pulling gets 5 Stars. If you are considering getting a pet, this would be a great resource to share with your children first--especially if you have younger aged children. It's simple and straightforward. Have you or your child read Tails Are Not for Pulling? What did you think? Let me know!
