About This Book
Trouble at Betts Pets follows fifth-grader Aaron as he grapples with multiple challenges. His family's beloved pet shop, Betts Pets, is facing financial difficulties, pushing his parents to consider selling. Simultaneously, a community garden, home to a homeless woman, is slated for demolition to make way for luxury condominiums. Amidst these weighty issues, Aaron forms an unexpected friendship with Sharon, a classmate who tutors him in math. The book gently explores themes of financial hardship, social justice, empathy, and the complexities of new friendships, making it a thoughtful read for children navigating change and developing a sense of social awareness.
A number of changes are taking place in fifth-grader Aaron's life: business at the family pet shop is declining, forcing his parents to consider selling the store; luxury condominiums are going up on the land that houses a community garden, displacing the homeless woman who lives there; and Aaron gets to know his seemingly perfect classmate Sharon when she begins to tutor him in math.
financial_hardship
homelessness
Discussion Prompts
1
How does Aaron feel about the changes happening in his life? Have you ever felt that way?
2
What does it mean to be a good friend, and how does Aaron's friendship with Sharon develop?
3
Why is the community garden important to the homeless woman? What can we learn about helping others?
4
If you were Aaron, what would you do to try and save Betts Pets or the community garden?
5
What are some different ways people can experience 'home'?
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