Samantha Bell is My Guest, Tuesday Feb. 4

About the book, The Perfect Pet

After begging for a pet, a child's mother finally says "yes." But which animal will be the best pet? Using animal classification and habitat needs, the child narrows it down from Kingdom Animalia, through invertebrates to vertebrates. Reptiles and amphibians are out, and birds and fish are soon off the list. That leaves mammals, but which one? An elephant won't fit through the door, and a tiger would be too hard to walk. What's a child to do?

About the author

Samantha Bell is both the author and the illustrator of The Perfect Pet. As a teacher, Samantha was looking for a way to help her children understand animal classification. Some of the other books that she has written or illustrated include It's Birthday Time, Jake!, Shaping up the Year, As I Watch, Growing Up Dreams, Cinderfella and the Furry Godmother, One Pelican at a Time, and Sea Turtle Summer. Samantha is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. A native of sunny central Florida, she grew up in an area brimming with wildlife; and now lives in the upstate of South Carolina with her husband and four children where she's found plenty of room for the family's animal friends.