A Pet For Petunia, by Paul Schmid

I discovered this book more recently than my previous entries, but I find that I enjoy the story just as much as I would if it had been available for me as a child.

Petunia loves skunks, and even has a plush one to show how much she adores them.  She loves them so much that she begs her parents to let her have one as a pet.

Her parents are sensible of course, and they tell her she isn't allowed to have one. When pressed for a reason, they give the obvious answer: the smell.  Petunia can't believe that her parents would say such a terrible thing about such an adorable animal, and reacts in the typical manner of a child being told no.

Petunia runs away from home, into the woods where she encounters a skunk!  It's her wish come true...until she smells it!  She runs back home, silenced by the terrible smell, and curls up in bed with her plush skunk.

Thankfully, Petunia is not traumatized by the truth that skunks do in fact stink.  She still thinks they are adorable and is happy with her toy skunk, until she sees something else in the woods....(I won't spoil it, but I'm sure Petunia's parents wish she wanted a normal animal).

The art style is simple, and Petunia herself is adorably drawn: with messy hair, big smile and a purple striped dress, she looks like most little girls her age.  Like Petunia, I too have wanted improbable pets (tigers, seals, polar bears, and yes even skunks), so I completely understand her logic.  Petunia is most certainly a handful for her parents, and this won't be the last time she is seen (Petunia Goes Wild, a title that should come as no surprise).  This is a great book to read aloud to your kids, it's silly and enjoyable and it does, at least for a moment, dissuade children from having a pet like a skunk.