This book surprisingly deals with many topics not usually seen in children's books-- violence in the middle east, orphans, etc, (which are some topics that parents may want to be made aware of) but it only adds positive things to the story and makes it that much more multi-dimensional. It is a book that will open up a lot of dialogue between parents and their children. Rhoda Carter writes in such a way that each character has such a strong personality, but they all mesh so well together. They can stand on their own without needing too much support from the dialogue, yet they also interact well with each other--there is enough quick banter to make it realistic but also plenty of insightful inner dialogue to get the most out of each character's thoughts.Most often, books that have both humans and animals as characters end up being immature, but Canter expertly keeps within the outer edge of reality/fantasy and has them interact in ways that make it unique and memorable. I loved the shift in perspective in each chapter, making it a natural break in the story and having it be like multiple short stories sewn together. I am a fan of short stories and each chapter was very conclusive, yet still encouraged me to read more with its cliffhangers and lovable characters.Even though it is close to 300 pages--a longer-than-average book for children--it’s a quick, easy, and entertaining read throughout its entirety. I can definitely picture a parent reading this to his/her child at night and having it take no more than a week to get through. This book develops a strong plot and builds upon a solid foundation to create a fantastic story.