If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle and Cale Atkinson

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle and Cale Atkinson (2016)

This is a fun confection of a storytime book. Our glum bespectacled protagonist is unhappy with her mundane pet hamster, and dreams of more exotic pets. She explains why each mythical creature would make a great choice but then remembers a flaw and moves on to her next choice. As the book goes on, each new creature seems less and less desirable, until she concludes that a hamster makes a pretty good pet after all. The final reveal shows the girl with her nose in a book and the hamster grinning out at readers with batwings and antlers. The verse flows well, pets are an ever-popular theme, and the main character is cute as a button--this one is a no-brainer to add to storytime.

Themes/topics: pets, contentment, wishing, mythical animals, unicorns

Sample text from two spreads:
"If I had a unicorn, 
I'd braid her silky mane. 
I'd make her silver horseshoes 
That tinkled in the rain. 

We'd prance through fields of posies
And nibble nectarines. 
I'd shine her horn with candy corn
To get a starry sheen. 

Unicorns are pretty, 
but they're also very shy. 

On second thought, 
I'd like to give a 
hippogriff 
a try."