The creator of Clarice Bean has conjured up a clever alley critter so appealing—and so hilarious—that young readers will be begging to take him home.Sometimes . . . I look up at all the cozy windows and wonder what it would be like to live with creature comforts . . . to be a real pet. Most of all I would like to have a name, instead of just that pesky rat.A glamorous life in the lap of luxury like Pierre the chinchilla would be very nice. But really, our hero’s not that fussy - he just wants to belong to somebody. With his cute, pointy brown face and beady eyes, why can’t he get someone to take him home? Even a notice posted at the local pet store seems fruitless, until one day a nearsighted old man stops in and speaks the amazing words: "I’ll take him.