School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-The charming Norman Rockwell-style kids on the cover illustration will attract readers to this comedy about 12-year-old entrepreneur Ernie Castellano. It was originally a play produced by the Lincoln Center Institute and the playwright was asked to adapt it as a novel for children. Reminiscent of Robert McCloskey's Homer Price, Ernie is smart and creative, and his ideas generally produce hilarious results. Even though his father threatens to ground him if he continues to take advantage of people, when Ernie's mother dies and he realizes that funerals aren't free, this natural-born salesman decides to start a full-service funeral business for neighborhood pets. Along with Dusty, who designs elaborate coffins, and Swimming Pool, a tough tomboy who is the official crier, Ernie clears a vacant lot. He uses a cell phone to pick up those lucrative calls about expired bunnies, iguanas, and ant-farm colonies, and business booms until Ernie reneges on his promised raise to Swimming Pool. He's not the nicest of bosses. Only after his own dog dies and his father discovers what he's up to does Ernie realize that there is more to life than making money. His father allows one last funeral, Mister Doggie's, at which father and son grow closer in their grieving over the boy's mother, and Ernie realizes that his real knack is in bringing people together. Witty, clever, yet touching, this first novel has certain kid appeal.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
A young entrepreneur known for his get-rich-quick schemes uses an empty parking lot to start a pet funeral business in what PW called "a likeable story with solid appeal." Ages 8-12. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved