I have two thoughts about this book. I really like it, I think it is funny, I love all the animals and the illustrations are hilarious. They propel this book that much more forward. However, I hate the dad and the pet store owner. The dad doesn’t pay attention and the pet store owner takes advantage of a kid with unlimited use of her dad’s credit card. Overall this book is a fun read, and it gives me the same feeling a Dahl book does, great kids, terrible parents.

As parents we have all been there… you have to take this last phone call, write one more email, check your text, update your profile, or post that cute photo of the family.

You child might hear “one second” or “hold on” just so you can do that one thing.

Embraces their childhood they are only little once and this story s such a great reminder that we all could take a moment and play.

Seahorse Are Sold Out is a story that is such a great reminder that they are only little once. Make sure you stop and enjoy it with them!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Gecko Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is a children's book. I am a bit sadden by this book. The animals are fun and of course you can't just get one. But that Mika is ignored and just given his credit card is sad. Dad is to busy has to work. Where is mom? Is there a mom? It is not ok to just let Mika buy whatever he wants and not notice. Silly and pretty unbelievable but predictable at the same time. Illustrations were good. My kids would ask difficult questions after reading this book. 2.5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. It has predictable scenarios with escalation, which young children tend to love. The illustrations are cute, and some of the antics of the animals are fun and engaging. However the story line was a flop at our house. The parent in the book is not just oblivious but actually neglectful.. The purchase of all sorts of animals from a pert store was concerning. Overall, my kids just didn't enjoy it.

I love this German import from beginning to end. Kids will engage, laugh, and love it too I'm positive. Mika wants his dad to take him to the lake, to not only swim, but to spend some quality time together. Poor Dad is overwhelmed with a work assignment and needs time to finish it up. Mika tells dad that a pet would help stifle his boredom and dad hands over his wallet telling his son to purchase something quiet... like a mouse, which he does. The store owner calls to check about the mouse and Dad tells him that Mika can buy whatever he wants.

Those instructions allow Mika to pass go and away he does go. He buys the mouse and takes it home. The next morning the mouse is missing and Mika buys a dog to find it. The puppy makes a mess in the bathroom resulting in Mika buying a seal to be guardian of the bathroom. On and on the pets stack up creating a very busy and messy menagerie.

After finishing his work task Mika's father discovers the large collection of pets that his son has accumulated. The reader will be very surprised, and pleased, at his reaction.

The illustrations are just phenomenal! They are detailed, colourful, full of action and emotion. I love them. Pitch Perfect. Kids will delight in this tale as well adults. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Mika's dad is working from home on a very important project. Mika (mee-kuh) gets ready to go to the lake, as promised, but dad isn't ready, and will finish more quickly if Mika is quiet.

An idea! Ask for a pet (never allowed before), and promise it will help him wait quietly! It works, but there's a problem, so it's back around the corner to the pet shop. Mika needs a puppy to find the mouse, and a seal to teach the puppy to use the toilet properly...

It takes days for dad to finish the project, but the clever boy solves every problem without bothering dad. Success!

When dad "comes up for air," he's in for a surprise or two.

A sweet story of questionable logic, but determination to cooperate and be patient. As often happens, adults assume children think the way they do (after a decades of their own mistakes and experience).

Fortunately, Mika's dad realizes who was at fault, and they enjoy a wonderful day at the lake, finally!

Waiting for someone else is an experience everyone understands. No matter the reason.
A book like this is a great reminder that having fun while you wait is the logical thing to do. You may not buy pets to help you, but reading this delightful book might give you some ideas!

5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to preview this fun ebook!

[There is some confusion about Mika (longish hair, neutral clothing), but the name--because the book was originally written in German--seems to be male.]

#SeahorsesAreSoldOut #NetGalley

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
The different animals and the escalation of the story is funny and would be engaging to a child, as a parent reading it the sole parent's obliviousness is rather cringy.

A story that is very relevant today. Dad works from home and never has time or pays attention to his child. He winds up letting the child go get one pet which turns in to many. When dad is finally finished with his work project he is stunned to see a houseful of animals.

This is a cute, humorous book about a little girl who, to amuse herself while her father finishes working, gets a pet, and then an increasingly outlandish series of subsequent pets to solve the problems caused by the previous ones.

I wish the dad had been a bit warmer/less dismissive while he was working, but the story ended sweetly and I'm sure the kids will laugh at the increasingly absurd situations caused by the growing menagerie.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Originally in German, I believe, this story a variation on the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but in this case, the child starts out with a mouse, and works her way up to elephant, all so she has something to do, so her father can work at home, and get some peace and quiet.

Very cute, and such childhood logic. Apparently the penguin likes to watch TV, so they had to leave the seal home to make sure he didn’t try to turn if on, while the girl went to the store to get another pet.

Through it all, the dad remains oblivious to all the animals she is brining home to solve the original problem of the mouse needing someone to watch her.

A big poke in the eye to all he parents that think they can do it all, and have pets and space as well as keeping their kids entertained while they work.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. </em>

I liked the premise of the book - that Mika keeps needing a new pet to "fix" the issues the previous ones made! That aspect of the book was cute and funny. What I didn't like (and I didn't find believable) was that the dad was completely oblivious to a houseful of animals, was totally focused on working, and ignored his daughter. I also felt the story didn't flow well and the writing was choppy from one scene to the next. Cute premise but unfortunately not well executed.

Seahorses Are Sold Out by Constanze Spengler and translated by Shelley Tanaka is a wild and wonderful tale that will surely delight readers of all ages.

Mika is having trouble entertaining himself while he waits for his father to finish his work so that they can go to the beach. Thinking that he has found the perfect compromise, Mika's father sends him to the pet store to purchase a quiet companion. Returning with a mouse, Mika soon misplaces his new pet and must return to the store to buy a puppy to help look for the mouse. After repeated trips to the store, Mika finds himself with a menagerie of animals, and realizes that about the only creature missing is a seahorse.

With beautiful illustrations by Katja Gehrmann, this one is destined to become a family favourite.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher Spotlight for an ARC.