This series, contributed to by several authors, introduces young readers to a variety of pets, describing the history and folklore associated with them as well as covering their distinctive traits, different breeds, behavior, and basics of care. Each book is thirty-two pages, illustrated with full-color photos, and includes "fun facts," a glossary, and suggestions for further reading.

The titles in this series by Kathryn Hinds are Cats, Rabbits, and Hamsters and Gerbils.

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". . . filled with full-color photographs and interesting facts. For each animal, readers learn when it first appeared, where it lives, behavioral traits, and tips for caring for it. The titles also include information on these creatures in myth, legend, and literature. . . . these accessible books will be enjoyed by young animal lovers."

--School Library Journal (reviewing both Cats and Rabbits)

"This appealingly slender nonfiction text is full of information. The author has done considerable research, as is demonstrated by her inclusion of many interesting facts about rabbits in mythology and culture. She does a good job of blending these anecdotes with the more factual breed and care information to create a cohesive, engaging book about a popular pet. The glossary provides a solid language base for those new to the topic; and the 'for further reading' list will be particularly useful to many readers."

-Children's Literature

"Childhood is a marvelous time to learn about small pets and their care. Hamsters and gerbils are small, warm and cuddly. The reader is given a brief, interesting history of their popularity as household pets. The various breeds are discussed and color photographs help children see which variety they might like to own. The prospective or new pet owner will find feeding and cleaning information along with ideas for toys, handling techniques and even description of techniques for weighing hamsters and gerbils. Fun facts such as average litter size, mating habits and amounts of food stored are found at the end of the book. A bibliography and website addresses will help the reader find more information about these charming small pets."

---Children's Literature

From Rabbits:

Rabbits of one sort or another live in most parts of the world, in every type of habitat, from desert to marsh to arctic tundra. The most common wild rabbit in North America is the cottontail. All domestic rabbits--the kind that become pets--are descended from European wild rabbits. They originally came from lands around the western Mediterranean Sea.

The ancient Romans raised wild rabbits for food, keeping them in outdoor pens. Roman soldiers and colonists took rabbits with them to many parts of Europe. Rabbits were finally tamed by French monks during the Middle Ages. In the sixteenth century people bagan to develop different breeds, or types, of domestic rabbits. Today there are close to fifty rabbit breeds.

. . . .

One thing that makes a rabbit such an interesting and special pet is the fact that domestic rabbits behave just like wild ones. Watching and learning to understand a pet rabbit brings a person closer to nature. Caring for a rabbit also reminds us of the importance of kindness, gentleness, patience, and taking time to appreciate the little things in life.

Wild rabbits are hunted by a number of predators, so they have evolved many traits to help them survive. Domestic rabbits have inherited most of these traits. Rabbits are extremely alert--they can even sleep with their eyes open. They can see almost all the way around themselves without turning their heads. Their long ears can move to pick up the smallest sounds from any direction. Their constantly wiggling noses detect and identify the scents of both enemies and friends.

There are a couple of very important differences between hamsters and gerbils. First, Syrian hamsters are solitary animals. This means that they must live alone. Syrian hamsters cannot share a cage without fighting each other. Chinese and Russian dwarf hamsters can live in pairs or groups, though, if they begin doing so at a young age. Gerbils live in large groups in the wild, so it's unkind to keep only one gerbil as a pet. It will be lonely and miserable without at least one companion. Gerbils like to play games with each other. They also spend a lot of time cleaning each other, and they often sleep curled up together.

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Offering treats is a good way to begin taming a new hamster or gerbil. These animals are very shy and nervous at first. But they are curious, too. So slowly reach your hand into their home and give them a chance to smell you a couple times a day before you start handling them. Talk to them quietly and gently so that they get used to your voice, too. Soon, they will probably start climbing onto your hand.

After three or four days, you can try to pick up your hamster or gerbil. Because these are small animals, they need careful handling. The Syrian hamster is the easiest of these rodents to handle and the easiest to tame. Gerbils will almost always run away when you want to pick them up. This is simply their instinct. Be patient and calm. If you keep your hand still inside their home, they should settle down. Then you can gently scoop up a gerbil in your cupped hands. Always pick up hamsters and gerbils from underneath. A hand coming down from above is very scary to them. It will frighten them if you try to pick them up while they are sleeping. Once you are holding your pet, sit down on the floor. This way, if it wriggles out of your hands, it is not in danger of falling.