The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets - Hardcover

1 Screech Owl
6 Ducklings
1 Weasel
1 Toad
3 Crows
1 Raccoon
3 Salamanders
1 Goose
7 Sunfish
1 Skunk
1 Tarantula

And that's just the beginning of the list'Jean Craighead George has counted at least 173 wild pets that became part of the family as she raised her three children. As the Georges cared for this wildly varied assortment of animals, their stories made their ways into the books that Jean was writing, many of which have become children's classics.

Humorous, heart-warming, and just plain entertaining, these stories by Newbery Medalist Jean Craighead George recall what life was like as she raised three children and 173 wild pets. On any given day there might be a bat in the refrigerator, an owl in the shower, or a crow at the kitchen table. Jean Craighead George’s respect for nature and its many creatures is evident in all of her writing. Here, she offers a personal, firsthand account of the many animals that made their way into her life and her books.

1996 ‘Pick of the Lists’ (ABA)
1996 Children’s Books (NY Public Library)