Being a pet store hamster isnтАЩt much fun for Sweetie Pie, but life in human homes proves downright perilous. As Sweetie Pie longingly gazes out of his cage at the squirrels frolicking in the trees, he wonders if heтАЩll ever have the chance to feel the wind in his fur.
AllsburgтАЩs expressive, soft-hued illustrations artfully capture a hamsterтАЩs-eye view of the wide and wonderful world where maybe, just maybe, Sweetie Pie could someday run free.
Chris Van Allsburg is one of AmericaтАЩs most innovative picture book creators. He was awarded the Caldecott Medal for Jumanji and The Polar Express and received a Caldecott Honor for his very first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. He has received the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in childrenтАЩs literature, a National Book Award, and a Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honors. He lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Visit him at chrisvanallsburg.com.