Can I Keep It?

“Mom, if a frog follows me home, can I keep it?”

One summer day, a boy ventures into his backyard on a mission to find the perfect pet. When he asks to keep the animals that happened to “follow” him home, his mom points out that birds belong in the sky and frogs belong in the pond. He starts to wonder: is there an animal that belongs right there with him? In a heartwarming conclusion, he discovers the perfect pet has been around him all along.

Readers of all ages will giggle at the sly sense of humor, and adults will love how the mother’s questions encourage empathy. Lively illustrations and dialogue play off each other with a sly sense of humor as the boy learns to walk in someone else's shoes—or paws.

"This gently humorous title imparts a useful and empathetic aspect to finding the perfect pet…[Can I Keep It?] imparts a powerful and important message as the child in the story is able to put himself in each animal’s place and contemplate its needs before his own desires." - Booklist, starred review

"A fun addition to any storytime collection." - School Library Journal, starred review

"Author/illustrator Jobe's watercolor, gouache, pastel, and digitally collaged illustrations inventively utilize negative and positive space." - Kirkus Reviews