Mr. Pack Rat Really Wants That

I adore this book. Not only are the illustrations whimsical and enticing, the story itself is pure magic. The occasional rhymes were fun to read and will make this book an excellent pick for read-alouds and story time. The written text was well developed, but not too long; I felt warm and fuzzy as I read along and discovered alongside Mr. Pack Rat what makes him happy. I can't wait to own a copy one day!

The illustrations in this book are lovely. Mr. Pack Rat offers a valuable lesson about living with just enough. He's a cute character, and the added magical element will be interesting for kids. The storyline is easy for young kids to follow, and they're likely to recognize the message.

This is a very good early reader indeed. Our hero has a magic magnet to help him get everything he wants, only – of course – he finds having everything isn't the best way to live. No, what we really need is the chance to know when we're happy with what we have. More than decent illustrations, progressive escalation of the story, nice use of firm rhymed chant here and there – this ticks a lot of boxes. And if it stops one child from thinking 'I want, I want, I want' non-stop, it'll have served its purpose. You should want this.

This is an excellent story for children about being content. It expresses hoarding with a rhyming verse, as Mr. Pack Rat visits places, sees something that catches his eye and decides he needs it in order to be happy. Eventually he asks for something more than he can handle and comes to his senses. I really appreciated that the story includes Mr. Pack Rat's process of decluttering and the discovery of what truly makes him happy. I will definitely buy this book to share with friends! It is an excellent read and I think it could be an inspirational tool for parents or grandparents, too as they work through the obstacles of too much stuff!

When Mr. Pack Rat wants to collect all the wonderful things he finds, he turns to his trusty (and magic) magnet. However, as his room overflows with more and more stuff, he’s forced to consider if his hoarding habit really makes him happy.

This is a charming picture book that offers great commentary on finding out what truly makes you happy. Marcus Ewert’s text plays with repetition that ultimately pushes Mr. Pack Rat into a clever dilemma. This also allows for kids’ inreractions during subsequent readings, particularly with all the cute magnet noises!

Kayla Stark’s illustrations are a major highlight. Her sense of color pops on the page as she plays with the earthiness of Mr. Pack Rat’s home and the vibrant world around him.

This delightful book is about Mr. Pack Rat who one day is so happy he feels that he might explode. Why? He has just built his first midden! A midden is a nest that pack rats build out of this and that, anything really that strikes their fancy and they can drag back to their home.

Mr. Pack Rats midden's theme colour is basic brown. He arranges brown pine needles, brown sticks and leaves, brown acorns, pinecones, and chips of bark that blend in perfectly with that theme. Feeling he needs a break from all his creative labour he walks to his favourite meadow where the wildflowers are all in bloom. The colours pop out at him and Mr. Pack Rat suddenly thinks about his midden and how boring the colour brown really is. He decides then and there that only vibrant colours can make him happy. Luckily he has an old metal bar that works like a magical magnet. He points the bar at the flowers and voilà the flowers are plucked and they march home behind him. He is over the moon happy with the colour change until like flowers do... they all wither, turn brown... and die. Oh my! Mr. Pack Rat is not happy any longer.

He tries his creative skills to make him happy once again by using sea shells. Nope, they don't sparkle enough, and then goes for a heist to obtain toys, tools and games from his favourite store. Did he really steal those things from the poor store owner? That's not good. The last straw is Mr. Pack Rat trying to acquire the entire night sky because it twinkles and sparkles in its majestic vastness and that escapade ends up with a HUGE NOPE! What was he thinking?

Mr. Pack Rat has an epiphany and comes to the conclusion that things can not make him happy. After some quiet time and reflection he discovers that he is happy already inside. His redemption generates peace and contentment as he snuggles down in his brown midden for a good night's sleep. Yep, brown is cozy and Mr. Pack Rat approves... zzzzzzz.

This delightful fable from Marcus Ewert, author of 10,000 Dresses, is a wonderful life lesson about being satisfied with and enjoying what you have. A lesson that both the young and the old can adhere to. Great book to share and discuss.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mr. Pack Rat Really Wants That is a lovely book.
It is filled with cheerful, colorful pictures that are really appealing for children.
Mr. Pack wants it all,he has a lot but wants more. Using his magical magnet he takes what he wants.

This is a lovely book to help teach children material things don't bring happiness, and that its about appreciating the smaller things around us that brings true happiness and having a friend to remind us helps too!

A magical book that was a pleasure to read.

What a charming picture book!
A great reminder for kids to be content with what they have and realize that physical things are not what makes a person happy. The illustrations really added to this story and created a wonderful vibe throught the book.
A great book for the classroom!

This was a fun picture book with a get lesson material happiness. The illustrations throughout the story were fun and would be eye-catching for toddlers and preschoolers. I particularly liked the ending of the magical chants Mr. Pack Rat uses when he wishes for something:

"Mr. Pack Rat,
Mr. Pack Rat,
Mr. Pack Rat really wants that!"

Thinking as a Children's Librarian, I thought this chant would be fun to have my story time patrons say with me every time we come across it in the story. I liked the description of the things Mr. Pat Rack wished for, such as the colorful flowers and the glittering seashells. The magical realism incorporated in each wish came across very well both in the text and the illustrations. I enjoyed the overall moral of the story that wanting material things will not always make you happy. Sometimes being in your favorite place and the memories you take away from it is really all you need.

I enjoyed this story and particularly the ending. I also learned a new word, midden. The theme was a good one and the details made the story terrific. I think children will enjoy this simple story.

Charming artwork and lovely prose make this story about a pack rat who learns to appreciate a clutter-free life a joy to read. Readers will learn valuable lessons about avoiding greed and selfishness, and they will rejoice with Mr. Pack Rat in enjoying the world around them for what it is rather than for what it can give them. This heartwarming story about friendship and mindfulness will have children laughing and cheering on its tiny hero.

Like most rats, Mr. Pack Rat built a cozy home out of pine needles, sticks, bark, and other brown things, but soon tired of boring brown and wanted more colorful things to decorate with. He used a family heirloom a magic magnet to collect things that made him happy - colorful flowers that later died and didn’t smell so good anymore, glittery shells bits that looked a lot better on the beach, and a whole bunch of toys from his favorite store. Soon there was no more room for Mr. Pack Rat! Simple, but colorful and inventive illustrations accompany this delightful story.

Oh, so sweet! What a cute little story about a greedy little pack rat. Mr. Pack Rat wants it all! Little kids will enjoy this silly story. Might prompt a discussion about wanting everything one sees. I love the illustrations, too, so adorable! Kudos author and illustrator for a lovely little tale!

“Mr. Pack Rat Really Wants That” is a well-executed book that uses tight prose and visually compelling illustrations to deliver an important moral lesson to young readers. Teaching young children about the dangers of greed, selfishness, and the dangers of consumerism isn’t easy. The book uses a clever plot device in the form of a magic magnet to show children to see that getting everything you think you want may not make you happy.

it was amazing

A charming story about a pack rat who is trying to make his home as beautiful as the world around him, in hopes of being happy. Mr. Pack Rat soon finds that being happy has less to do with what you have, and more to do with what you do.

Mr. Pack Rat Really Wants That is a great story, with a wonderful lesson. It's a great way to teach children that material items aren't what will lead to happiness. Great for the classroom and as a bedtime story!