If I Had a Gryphon

Written by Vikki VanSickle · Illustrated by Cale Atkinson

A girl dreams of mythical pets but discovers their chaos. Is her hamster the best choice?

5.8/7 Bookroo expert·4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,151 ratings

32 pages· 360 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud· AD730L

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Bookroo's summary

Sam's new hamster seems dull, so she imagines life with mythical creatures. But sasquatches are messy, unicorns shy, and dragons require constant vigilance. As chaos unfolds, Sam wonders if her hamster might be the perfect pet after all. Or is there more to him than meets the eye? Dive into a whimsical world where fantasy meets reality, and discover the unexpected challenges of caring for magical beasts.

From the publisher

Sam just got a hamster for a pet. But the hamster is kind of boring … he just eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. Inspired by her book of mythological creatures, Sam longs for a more exciting pet. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she thought. Sasquatches are messy, unicorns are shy, hippogriffs scare the dogs at the dogpark, and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. In the end, Sam realizes that her hamster is a pretty sweet and safe pet … or is he? If I Had a Gryphon is a raucous rhyming read-aloud about fantastical beasts in everyday situations–and the increasingly beleaguered heroine who has to deal with them.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Words: 360
Reading age: 3–7
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD730L

Themes & topics

Books about pets Books about mythical creatures Books about hamsters

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.8

out of 7

5.8

“Cale Atkinson's illustrations never disappoint. They are fabulous in this book, as you'd expect. The story has great rhymes and is very fun to read. Imagining these mystical creatures if quite the adventure.”

Mom of Boys

Trusted reviewer

The author