Spunky hamster’s tale is a treat for children and parents

How’s life treating you? You’ve got things to do, plenty of toys, food and treats, and it’s all good? Bet you’re a happy kid.

Or maybe you’d like it better if you lived in Paris, Mars or another house. If you’re thinking that’s true, then read “Memoirs of a Hamster” by Devin Scillian, illustrated by Tim Bowers, and be careful what you ask for.

Seymour Q. Hamster had a pretty good life.

He had a brand-new home filled with wood shavings and room to run. His bowl was full of seeds, and he had a new fast-as-lightning exercise wheel that really zoomed. Seymour was the luckiest hamster in the world!

It took awhile for him to learn how to use his water bottle without getting splashed, but he even liked that. And he loved that his Little Girl gave him yogurt drops, although he hated that she liked to kiss him on the nose. That was just nasty.

Then one night, after about a week of living the good life, Seymour had a visitor. Pearl the Cat came around and told him that she was going to the sunroom.

Sunroom? That was something Seymour had never heard of.

He thought about the sunroom all night. When Little Girl cleaned his cage, he tried to look for a sunroom but the house was much bigger than he thought. Then, two nights later, Pearl told him something he could hardly believe: the house’s staircase was made of sunflower seeds and the sunroom was packed with yogurt drops. Even Buck the Dog said he loved the sunroom.

So Seymour plotted.

And he thought.

And he plotted some more, until he figured a way to get out of his cage. Operation Tasty Treat was set. He jammed his wheel with his bowl, climbed on top of it, popped the lid of his cage, and he was free! It wouldn’t be long before he’d be eating his fill of yummy yogurt drops!

But Seymour learned some important things on his adventure: cats are “big, fat liars.” There were no yogurt drops in the sunroom. And sometimes, being happy with what you’ve got is a very, very smart thing.

Have you ever discovered a book for your child that you eagerly anticipated as a bedtime story? Yep, because it’s funny and unbelievably cute, “Memoirs of a Hamster” is going to be that kind of book.

Seymour Hamster is one of the sassiest characters you’ll ever meet in a picture book. Even when Seymour is in big trouble, Scillian gives him plenty of cheek (sometimes literally) and enough spunkiness to further the tale and create laughs. Add the adorable, wide-eyed illustrations and this is a story you and your 3- to 7-year-old child will both want.

No, this book won’t help you squash the “I Want a Hamster” blues. Yes, it’s going to be a quick favorite around your house. For you and your child, in fact, “Memoirs of a Hamster” will be a real treat.

View publishes Terri Schlichenmeyer’s reviews of children’s books weekly.