Hiss-s-s-s! (review)

Middle-grader Omar is so convincing with his pleas for a pet snake that his ophidiophobic mother finally acquiesces, allowing Omar to proudly bring home a beautiful corn snake. Trouble ensues when the snake inevitably escapes and Mom ends up heading to the hospital after hitting her head as she recoiled in fear upon discovering a reptilian surprise in her purse. Now aware of the acuteness of his mother's phobia, Omar sadly decides to return the snake to the breeder, but his mom instead insists that the snake stay so she can confront her fear head on. Although the densely packed small print of the text may intimidate some readers, those who get past that will find a rewardingly informative pet story. The subtly included details of Oregon-dwelling Omar's Lebanese heritage add a fresh twist to this old story of an unwelcome pet; particularly powerful is his mother's revelation at the book's end that her snake phobia stems from the snake tattoo on the arm of a militiaman who invaded her Lebanese childhood home during a civil war. The colorful local snake breeder ("Snake Dude") and Omar's equally lively buddy, Samkatt, add further interest and humor, but the focus here is clearly on practical snake care information and the serious commitment that pet ownership should require. Fans of pet-themed fiction, as well as those who wouldn't touch a book about puppies but might pick up one about snakes, will find Omar's story quite sssatisfying.