Author: Suzanne Selfors
Illustrator: Barbara Fisinger
© Date: 2017
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 162
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Many – most page layouts have illustrations
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-12
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Wedgie’s and Gizmo’s families are moving into the same house. Wedgie is so excited, he can’t stop barking. He LOVES guinea pigs! And treats! But Gizmo refuses to share his loyal human servant. He vows to make all humans feel his wrath…and to get rid of Wedgie FOREVER!
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this awhile ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: Super funny book from the perspective of animals. Gizmo (guinea pig) believes that he is an evil genius and keeps hatching plots to make things work the way he wants. Wedgie is an exuberant, loveable super hero Corgi that loves wearing a cape. Both animals are narrated well from their own perspectives. We laughed each time Super Wedgie thwarted Gizmo’s evil plans. Despite the underlying sadness as Elliott works through adjusting to his new home, this book generated a lot of laughs and left us feeling good and ready for another one.
Family Unit: A blended family. The implication is that the Mom and Dad are maybe recently married, so two families just moved together. Family one is: Gizmo (guinea pig), Elliot (boy), and Dad. Family two is: Wedgie (dog), Jasmine (girl), Jackson (younger brother), Mom, and Abuela. Family one moves into family two’s house.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Gizmo (guinea pig) hatches evil plans to make things work the way he wants. Wedgie (dog) is busy trying to save everyone and blissfullly unaware of Gizmo’s plans. Gizmo and Super Wedgie both have their own victories.
- Elliott is struggling after moving away from his friends and trying to adjust to a new home with a step sister. When Gizmo goes missing, Elliott is too sad to celebrate his own birthday. Even the balloon delivery doesn’t cheer him up. Elliott was in his room with the door closed refusing birthday cake. When Gizmo is found (by Wedgie) and he sees the cake that Abuela custom made (guinea pig shaped), Elliott finally feels at home.
Positive Items:
- Through Gizmo’s ideas, we can see how sometimes our biggest fears are just our imaginations running away with things.
- Through Wedgie’s activities, we can see how blind faith and love can overcome obstacles.
- Shows how Elliott finds a way to feel at home.
Items of Interest:
- The story told from Wedgie and Gizmo’s perspectives. But conversation excerpts give us a feeling for what is happening with the humans.
- Everyone is adjusting to their new home environment. Elliott and Jasmine are learning how to live with each other and new pets in their home. Gizmo is learning how to live without his beloved Eco Habitat, but living in Barbie’s playhouse does provide useful items for his evil plans.
- Gizmo knows that guinea pigs are native to Peru [imagine, wild guinea pigs…], so he is excited to learn that Abuela is from Peru. As they are watching a TV show together, Gizmo learns that people from Peru eat guinea pigs. Gizmo is then concerned that Abuela is making plans to eat him. Turns out Abuela is just measuring Gizmo to make a Gizmo shaped cake for Elliott’s birthday.
- Gizmo pines after Gweneviere, a guinea pig that he loved watching in the pet shop before Elliott took him home. Gizmo writes letters to her so she knows how his world domination plans are coming along. He intends for her to be his queen when he rules the world.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Wedgie & Gizmo vs. The Toof (Book 2)
- Wedgie & Gizmo vs. The Great Outdoors (Book 3)
- All three books were funny. While the action was rather different, Books 2 and 3 did not fall off pace from Book 1.
