The Perfect Present

Author: Fiona Roberton
Publication Date: 2012
Type of Book: Picture Book

This book is about a young boy named Henry. Henry is very excited for his birthday and all of the presents he is going to receive. Spot, Henry's pet duck picked out the perfect present for his friend. Spot's perfect present is ruined when Henry opens up a box from his grandparents and finds a puppy. Spot feels that he is no longer wanted since Henry has a new pet that he can love. Spot packs up his belongings and starts the journey back to his old house. It isn't until Spot is caught in a storm and Henry comes to his rescue with the new puppy that he realizes, maybe Henry can love both of them after all. In the end Spot is excited because he has a pet of his own and Henry did love the perfect present that he had bought him.

When reading this story I felt so bad for Spot. You saw how excited he was to give his present to Henry and then how things changed instantly. Henry was so caught up in his new puppy that he didn't even open his present from Spot. The picture where Spot was packing up his belongings and looking at a picture of him and Henry was so sad! I also liked how in the end Henry told Spot that the puppy could be their perfect pet together instead of just his.

I would recommend story for younger students. The illustrations are very kid friendly and the story is one that they would enjoy. I think student's would think it was funny that a pet had a pet of his own. A teacher could also use this story to teach students about predictions. Even though this is a picture book the author broke it into three little chapters. The students could predict what was going to happen within each chapter by using the title alone.

Image References:
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Present-Fiona-Roberton/dp/039925773X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448134176&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Perfect+Present