All Creatures Great and Small
By Elena V., Oregon House, CA
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
- Cecil Frances Alexander
In All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot takes the reader through his life as a new veterinarian in Scotland during the 1930’s. We grow with the advancing technology and realize how lucky we, and our animals, are to have it. Herriot shows you what a vet must endure, taking us into the wind, rain, snow and scorching hot weather of a field veterinarian.
Herriot introduces all his patients. My favorite, and the most hilarious, is Mrs. Pumprey, a rich lady who feeds cake to her obese Pekingese, Tricki, and calls Herriot “Tricki’s Dear Uncle Herriot.” She also comes up with strange names for problems that Tricki is having, such as Cracker Dog and FlopBott.
Herriot describes how busy a vet is, from going on strange calls to birthing calves at 2 a.m. in the rain. However, this story doesn’t involve just animals, it also shows his life with Helen.
In All Creatures Great and Small Herriot does a great job pulling the reader into his story and his life. This is an easy book to read, yet it’s intriguing enough to hold readers interested for hours on end. He gives wonderful descriptions of the scenery, the people (who are often quite funny), the animals, and how he feels and handles his experiences.
This hilarious, wonderful story is a great book for anyone who loves animals and may wish to be a vet themselves. All Creatures Great and Small is a good, intriguing book. Give yourself a treat and read it!
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