Our Pets

A gentle slice of early 20th-century childhood, this illustrated picture book follows a little girl named Polly and her menagerie of beloved pets. There's Topsy the cat, Carlo the dog, plus tame pigeons, fluffy rabbits, and a lamb called Nan who all share in Polly's daily adventures. Each short vignette captures a moment of tender care or playful companionship, from teaching a pet a new trick to the quiet pleasure of an animal's affection. Originally published around 1910, the book radiates the simple values of an earlier era: that pets teach children about responsibility, that animal friendships run deep, and that childhood is richer for having creatures to love. It's very much a product of its time, with a kind of earnest sweetness that will appeal to parents looking for read-aloud material that feels far from the frenetic energy of modern media.