Suzy and Her Pets, written by Suzana Palej-DeLeon and illustrated by Morgan Spicer, is a colorful picture book about a girl named Suzy who loves animals. When she finds a baby bunny in her garden that appears to be lost, she takes it inside so that no hungry hawk can snatch it up. Inside the house, she makes the bunny feel at home by putting it in a small pen and making it comfortable with a blanket of its own and some lettuce, carrots, and a bowl of water. She then realizes that the bunny is her very first rescue animal, and she hopes that in the future she will rescue many more animals in need of a home. What happens to the baby bunny is all good news, but you’ll have to read the book to your kids to find out what does occur.

Suzana Palej-DeLeon hopes that Suzy and Her Pets will inspire other children to be kind to animals and set about rescuing them whenever necessary. Her keen love of animals, which has been a lifelong passion, is shown in her intent to rescue them (much to her parents’ surprise when she was young). The joyful and endearing full-page illustrations by Morgan Spicer extend the pleasantness of the text and should leave any reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling. An avid animal lover, Spicer has illustrated over thirty picture books. Suzy and Her Pets is an enchanting and loving work that should bring joy to any animal lover’s heart.

Many of us might claim to love animals. Loving animals is one thing, but caring for them and making sure they’re fed, watered, walked, and kept warm and safe, is another. It can be quite a bit of work, though it is worth it in the end. Suzy not only loves animals; she rescues them, cares for them, and keeps them safe. When one of her dogs, Milo, discovers a baby bunny, Suzy instantly realizes the bunny is in danger and brings it home. She prepares a safe pen for it, complete with food and water and a warm pillow for comfort. When her mother tells her that their neighbors are missing one of the baby bunnies, Suzy knows she has to give it up so it can return to its mother and loving family. It’s hard to part with a pet, but Suzy knows what’s best for the baby bunny, and that’s all that matters.

Suzana Palej-DeLeon’s picture book story, Suzy and her Pets, will warm the hearts of animal lovers of all ages. The story is told in simple language as the author carefully introduces each of Suzy’s pets and what’s unique and special about each one. She explains what it means to be a rescue pet and how important it is to see each pet’s individual needs. The main character, Suzy, knows how to care for each of her pets, and she’s passionate about what she does, so much so that she wants to start her own pet rescue group. Her first real rescue is the baby bunny, and her loving care makes her feel good, as she realizes that she did a good thing for this lost baby bunny. The illustrations are bright and colorful and help carry the story along. This is a beautiful story, told with care and compassion. Loved it!