Becket and her twin brother Nicholas are turning ten on their October 10th birthday. Becket wants them to make a joint birthday wish for a dog. However, Nicholas secretly wants a cat. When they’re taken to the animal shelter, their parents surprise them with both getting the pet they want. Becket’s dog is quiet and shy, like Nicholas, while his cat is outgoing like Becket. The twins discover that having pets isn’t as easy as they thought.

This was a fun story about getting a pet. Usually, children’s books show the part leading up to getting the pet, but not necessarily the challenges after the pet is brought home. Becket’s and Nicholas’s pets had personalities that were actually more like their twin. Becket’s dog would go off to have quiet time, just like Nicholas did, and Nicholas’s cat liked to be the life of the party like Becket. They had to adjust to these new lifestyles.

Becket and Nicholas also had to get used to new chores that went along with their pets. Becket had to train her dog, and get him fed in the morning so he would settle down. Nicholas had the shock of finding a dead mouse in his room, a gift from his cat. These are some challenges that come along with a new pet.

All Pets Allowed is a fun middle grade story!

Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

These books were such a great read, I really like the family values. How it addressed life changes, Upheaval and loss. The characters were s well developed and diverse, I especially liked Becket and Nicholas’s rela%onship showing that even though they are twins they have very individual personali%es.The Branch Family goes through a major change by moving from the big city to the quiet country, but the Branch Parents install great responsibility and accountability by handing chores over to the children to help them se)le in to their new life.A great book series for young readers and the illustra%ons were perfect. A*er reading I was very happy to pass the books on to a friends Son to keep the Branch Family love going

All Pets Allowed is the second installment detailing adventures that take place on Blackberry Farm. Having left the city behind for winding roads and a slower pace of life, Becket and Nicholas are super excited about the prospect of picking out pets when they reach their next birthday.

Becket and her twin brother, Nicholas, could not be any more opposite. This becomes obvious in how they celebrate their birthday, how they spend their free time and even how they select a pet. After bringing home their fur friends, they discover that their pets may also be opposites.

As Becket and Nicholas learn to care for their respective pets, they learn some people lessons, too--about themselves and others. They navigate how to tolerate an annoying classmate, learn to let go of things they don't need, learn new skills and most importantly learn to work together as a family. I like how the book introduces the concept of family identity and how each family is unique and special because it is made up of people who have unique gifts.

I love the intergenerational influence of having grandmother live nearby. For readers who are concerned about the environment, they will find a green advocate in Becket. Being environmentally responsible was a strong theme woven throughout the book.

All Pets Allowed is the second book that takes place on Blackberry Farm. While readers will have no problem jumping into the further adventures of Becket and her family, I recommend reading the first book, The Becket List, as well to understand how the children came to live at the farm. I hope there will be more adventures to come for the Branch family!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of All Pets Allowed from Algonquin Books for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

This book was pretty enjoyable but not quite as good as the first book in this series. It still follows Beckett and her family after their move and picks up not too long after the end of the first book. I thought that it had a really good plot but the main character of Beckett was very annoying. She was very self centered and selfish. Doing little things like hiding her brother's fodget spinners and other coping tools were just toxic. Im going to need her to have a major personality shift for the rest of the series.

All Pets Allowed is the second book in The Blackberry Farm series, and it continues to follow the lives of the Branch family living on their family farm. The family continues to look after the many animals on the farm, along with the animals that Becket’s parents look after at the vets. The twins birthday is coming up and all they want is a pet each – a dog for Becket and a cat for Nicholas. When they get their perfect birthday presents, their pets are completely opposite to their respective personalities and not what they expected from their pets. Of course there’s a story and lesson that goes with their new pets. Becket is planning their joint 10th birthday party when she learns that Nicholas only wants a family dinner, and would rather miss out on their joint twin birthday party, much to Becket’s dismay. This is where Becket truly learns how different her and her twin brother are and how to make a party that is suited to both parties.

I loved the two major aspects of the book – the gaining of new pets and also the joint party. Nicholas wants a calm, introverted cat to love him and spend lots of time with him, and Becket wants a fun, extroverted dog. Nicholas’ cat, Given, is an extroverted cat who just purely loved attention from anyone and everyone, whereas, Becket’s dog, Dibs, is scared of new people and likes to run and hide from people. These animals are completely opposite to their owners personalities. This leads to the twins to learn about themselves and how to gain their animals trust and do what is best for them, which also teaches these children wonderful life lessons, which in turns teaches them about their fellow twin.

From here, the joint birthday party was a story line aspect that I totally understood where Nicholas was coming from, as I’m not a major fan of my birthday on a good day, let alone to have a massive party. I liked how Becket learnt that being able to compromise with her brother so both of them could have a great birthday was important, so she got a massive party with lots of attention, and Nicholas got to experience some joy from this party but also being able to take a step back and have a calmer day away from all the attention with a friend of his.

I was lucky enough to finish the first book and then be able to read this second novel straight away, and continue with this wonderful family and story line. I thought the first novel was such a joyful read, but this one jumped off where the first one finished and it was even more beautiful. This book reminds me how pure and enthusiastic kids can be and reading from the eyes of a child’s perspective is so wonderful to be reminded what it’s like to be a kid again, and not my pessimistic adult self. I cannot wait for the next book in the series if there’s going to be another one of course! I hope there is oh my gosh!

Thank you very much to the Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review and allowing me to participate in the blog tour.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Adele Griffin and Algonquin Young Readers for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.


Ahh both of these books were so cute! I’m so glad that I got to read both of them. I also have to give a huge shoutout to LeUyen Pham for these beautiful illustrations. A part of me wishes that YA books had more illustrations so we can experience it like this! Just a thought, publishers.

Not only did this book make me wish that I could go back to Guam when my grandparents had an active farm life – imagine my mom and her siblings helping out around the farm with all the farm animals surrounding the place – and see how it was back then. I know farm life is no joke and not easy at all, so it would have been such an interesting experience to actually participate. Sometimes a part of me wishes that I had that much land that I could allow the dogs to run around freely in a yard that’s much bigger than we have right now, and maybe a couple of horses and a stable. I think that’s the girl in me that has always wanted to have a horse and learn how to take care of it and have that kind of life.

We have the Branch siblings wanting to add some domestic animals to their family. Becket wants a dog, and her twin brother Nicholas wants a cat. Will a cat and a dog be able to get along with one another, let alone the rest of the animals? It works out in their favor that both parents are huge animal lovers, so think some positive thoughts on how that would turn out. Again this was such a cute story and I definitely recommend reading both of them.

Becket and the Branch family return for another adventure, and this time the twins are turning ten!

Becket is desperate for a big twin-ten birthday party, with lots of guests and noise and games, and her ultimate present of the perfect Beautiful Alert! dog. Nicholas, her twin brother, who prefers quiet family time and cats, is not so sure. Luckily for the Branch twins, their parents are ready to grant both pet-wishes, but are Becket’s Dibs and Nicholas’s Given the ideal companions they were hoping for, or will they find out that it is okay to have different tastes and personalities after all?

Another lovely family-and-animal adventure story from Adele Griffin, in which Becket learns to appreciate other people (and animals) just as they are, see things from other points of view, how to work as a team and how to ask for help when needed (although, being Becket, it’s more telling than asking!).

I would have loved a wild, loud, extroverted heroine like Becket in my childhood. Looking back it seems like most of the “good” characters in my favourite books were quite quiet and sensible: the Pevensies; Joe, Beth and Fanny; Val Taylor; Veronica Weston; 3/4 March girls… the closest I really got to a literary harum-scarum was Anne Shirley or Jo March! That’s not to say that Becket is a ‘wild child’ either though – she shows great responsibility and thoughtfulness, and a willingness to learn and grow, that make her a wonderful role model for those children who happen to have a little trouble with VOLUME CONTROL!

Minishine’s thoughts: I still really like Caroline… she reminds me of me! Becket wasn’t really very kind to Nicholas at the beginning of the story but then she started listening to him properly and that was better. My favourites are the animals, though, definitely. I love both Dibs AND Given and I think I would get on well with both of them. Our dog Murphy is very playful and clever, but chews stuff up. And one of our cats is a bit grumpy but sensible and kind, and the other is not very clever but super cuddly and loving and scared of everything, so I think that you can love all different personalities different but the same. Which is kind of what Becket found out too. I hope there will be more Becket books because all the family are so lovely and interesting and I want to see what Becket learns next.

Babybows’ thoughts: They ARE all good characters, but the animals are the best definitely. I was sad about Mr Fancypants getting old, but I like the new pets too. I wonder if they’ll just keep on getting more and more pets now? Maybe they could get a big smelly pig to look after?! That would be SO funny!!!



‘"Follow your heart, Nicholas,” says Mom.
“Follow my heart a little bit, too,” I add.
Nicholas’s voice is very small. “Okay,” he says. “As long as it’s not too noisy, and you keep Travis away from me, and I don’t have to play any ball sports, I guess I’ll be fine.” He looks at Mom. “So I take it back. We don’t need a family party. I’m cohosting with Becket. Top Ten Ten Takeover! Just like how we planned.”
“Thanks, Nicholas!” When I fling out my arms to hug him, I knock his fidget spinner out of his hand. Nicholas catches it just in time. “This will be the best party ever, promise!”
Nicolas nods and clears his throat. “Best party ever,” he echoes, but his owl-wide eyes look like he’s imagining all the ways it will go wrong.’

– Adele Griffin, All Pets Allowed


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

A very quick and cute read. An enjoyable story for any age but definitely great for the intended age group audience! I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

I was invited to be a part of this blog tour via email, but by the publicist herself and not a blog tour host. Seeing that it is a childrens book, I signed up because I thought it would be a nice break from everything I’ve been reading these days. The publicist then sent me a Netgalley link, along with the first book in the series. I’m just so happy to add short books on my Netgalley shelf because they’ll be faster to read and I want my feedback ratio increase. LOL. I just need some reading accomplishment this year, okay? 😂

I read All Pets Allowed right after reading Becket List, book 1 in the series, where I met Rebecca “Becket” Branch who is possibly one of the most cheerful and positive kids in fictionlandia. She says “Beautiful Alert” everytime she sees something beautiful and wants to show to others. She’s very charming and just overall a ball of sunshine. In Becket List, Becket and her family just moved to their grandma’s farm so she had a list on how to be a perfect country girl. (Read my review here to know how that went for Becket) All Pets Allowed centers on Becket and her twin brother Nicholas’ tenth birthday. They both wanted new pets. Becket wants a dog and Nicholas wants a cat. But they didn’t exactly get the kind of dog and cat that they wanted. You see Becket and Nicholas have opposite personalities. Becket is outgoing and cheerful and Nicholas is more reserved, even shy. But then Becket ended up getting a dog that is too shy and needs a LOT of training while Nicholas got a lively cat, when he only wanted something to pet.

This is such a delightful read Both Becket and Nicholas are already in my heart and it’s impossible not to like them. I love the little conflicts throughout the book. They’re fun but of course, for Becket and Nicholas, they’re big deals. This is not just a story of, you know, getting pets and training them. This is actually a story of learning how to embrace new friends even if they’re not what we expected to be.

I think the characters are very well-written and unforgettable. I honestly want to yell, “Beautiful Alert” now everytime I see something beautiful. That would be fun. The book is short but the right size for kids in elementary. But I’m hundred percent sure that even adults will enjoy this book because I did enjoy it.

If you have kids, buy this series for them. you won’t regret it. 🙂

Beautiful Alert! Irrepressible, indomitable, ever-joyous Becket Branch is back in All the Pets Allowed the latest entry in the Blackberry Farms series written by Adele Griffin and illustrated by LeUyen Pham.

Turning 10 on 10/10? That’s a once in a lifetime experience and Becket is hoping for the greatest birthday party to celebrate her and her twin Nicholas’ tenth birthday. For the birthday wish, Becket agrees (not a typo 😉 ) they should both blow out the sparklers on their cake and wish for the present: a dog! But Nicholas who is as much of an introvert as Becket is an extrovert secretly wishes for a cat, a pet who will be quiet and love him. When they set out for the rescue, what will the pet be: Dog, dog, dog! from Becket. Cat, cat, cat! from Nicholas. Both, both, both! Lucky kids!

Nicholas’ choice is a tiger-striped cat who he names Given. Becket’s is a young dog she names Dibs. While Given becomes the star, Dibs is a bit of a scaredy-cat. How did they end up with pets the opposite of what they’d hoped for?

All the Pets Allowed made me smile! Adele Griffin has imbued Becket with so much internal joy that I don’t know how a reader could not feel the glow while reading. The family interactions are warm-hearted and open, and I just loved the family dynamic that Adele has created. They are a loving family with their own humorous quirks. While Becket sometimes comes across like a steamroller, she also possess an intuition about people that is pretty impressive.

The illustrations by LeUyen Pham are so cute and funny and just a delight to see. I, of course, especially loved her dog illustrations, but she is so good at them all.

All the Pets Allowed is one great big Beautiful Alert! and I’m so glad to have experienced it!

The recommended age group is grades 2-6, but frankly anyone needing a spot of happiness should read this book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a gifted advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Algonquin books.

All pets Allowed is the second book in the Blackberry Farm series for children. This book was a delightful read and will really appeal to children who love animals.
Becket and Nicholas are twins who live on a family run farm which has Lamas and chickens.
The twins birthday is coming up and they both get to pick a pet of their own. Both twins are complete opposites and choose a different type of pet each - a dog for Becket and a cat for Nicholas. But the pets they choose don't fit with their personalities or want of what the pet should be like.
The children are excited about planning their party and a fall harvest fair but nothing goes exactly to plan for the twins.
This book was a breath of fresh air and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
.

3.5 stars

Becket's back with her "Beautiful Alerts" and charming life in the country with this latest installment focused on pets...as well as a poignant message on expectations.

Characters: ★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★ 1/2

All Pets Allowed is the second book in the Blackberry Farm series, but in good middle grade fashion it's a easy entry point for new readers looking for an adventure.

Having just read the first book, The Becket List, in preparation for this read I found this second book to be a charming upgrade from the first novel—with lots of continued goodness as well as fresh looks at some of the characters and plot.

Becket is a treat to follow. Her enthusiasm and near-eternal positivity are honestly surprising to me as a jaded, pessimistic adult—but that's not Becket's problem, that's on me! I loved being reminded of the optimism and resilience of children. It's an amazing thing.

Overall, I really enjoyed Becket's second journey with her twin brother, Nicolas, and their adventures and unexpected speed bumps on the road toward pet ownership and facing expectations.

As Becket would say, a "Beautiful Alert" for this beautiful story!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was asked to review the first book in this series, The Beckett List, and I fell in love with it! Actually, I decided to read it to the kids as a read aloud for school and we all loved it. When Algonquin Books reached out and asked me to review book 2, All Pets Allowed, I was thrilled and said YES. When I told the kids I had this opportunity they were so excited as well.

In book one we meet Rebecca Branch, or Becket, and her family as they transition from a life in the city to a life in the country when Becket’s parents move their veterinary practice and family to Blackberry Farm. Here we learn how Becket sees the world and how different she is from her twin brother, Nicholas. We also learn what a BEAUTIFUL ALERT is and how to look for the good and beautiful in life, even when it’s not what we hoped for or expected.

In book 2, All Pets Welcome, readers are taken along as Becket and Nicholas take on the adventure and unexpectedly hard job of owning pets. Becket has been dreaming of a dog but much like everything else in their lives Nicholas doesn’t agree and wants a cat. Turns out after a trip to the animal shelter, they both get their wish. Dibs the dog and Given the cat join the Branch family on the farm. Each kid had their own idea of what pet ownership was going to be and as we all know, it didn’t go according to plan. Dibs is going to need a lot of training and Given is a little more social than Nicholas had hoped. These personality differences led to some hard lessons in patience and acceptance.

We enjoyed so many laughs and learned how to adjust expectation as Becket and Nicholas navigated this new responsibility. We also learned the struggles of making new friends, taking on new responsibilities, working through sibling strife and time management.

I would recommend this sweet, funny, clean, children’s book for all children, either as a read aloud and or for individual reading. I recommend ages up to middle grades for read aloud and mid elementary and above for individual reading. Oh, and I can’t not mention the really cute and sweet illustrations by LeUyen Pham, they really brought the story to life.

Thank you to Algonquin Youth Readers department of Algonquin Books, Adele Griffin, and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I give All Pets Allowed 4 stars

Fun examples of creative problem solving and compromise to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.
Throughout the book, Becket is very outgoing and exuberant. I was concerned that her character would be overbearing and overshadow everyone else. I am happy to admit that I was wrong. She IS a very energetic ten-year-old, but she is very good at also including her siblings and her friends in her excitement. She is great at working in a team and also helps to make sure some of her quieter friends are also involved in making decisions.

GREAT lessons about learning to understand someone who does not think or act like you.
Both Branch twins get the pet they’ve dreamed of getting, although that dream pet doesn’t have the personality they thought it would. Pets and family alike get a lesson in learning to recognize when your wishes are not the same as someone else’s – even if you think yours is best.

I definitely recommend this book for the fun, the humor, and the amazing ways Becket and Nicholas work together and each learn to embrace their own strengths.

Stars: 4
Would I Recommend? Yes

Review: This was a nice book in a early Middle Grade series that I think will appeal to many! And I really liked the illustrations in the book (I think more books should be illustrated!). Overall, I would definitely recommend trying this series!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

This is such a super-cute series! My 8 year old daughter is a major animal lover, and we’ve really enjoyed these books. With adorable illustrations scattered throughout the pages, the book is a lovely way to explore personalities, family dynamics, and social interactions in a kid-friendly way that encourages thoughtful conversation and offers giggles and smiles at the antics of kids and animals alike.

The writing is easily accessible and the characters are delightful. The plot and pacing are age-appropriate but also engaging for an adult, if you want to partner-read or use it as a bed-time story chapter read. The simple line drawings were a great way for us to talk through what we imagined the characters and their world to look like and offered excellent opportunities for expanding on the emotions, concepts, and actions of the characters (a fun activity we often engage in when reading together – my daughter likes to imagine herself in the book).

Thanks to the author and publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for the opportunity to be a part of the book tour for the release of All Pets Allowed!

This was such a great read! It had adorable animals and unique characters. A perfect read for someone looking for a read that includes animal adoption (dogs and cats!).

The characters in this book are drastically different. Becket is very loud and boisterous while her twin Nicholas is quiet and reserved. Both are turning 10 this October and want one thing... a dog! Or that is what Becket has tried to convince her brother. Instead they both end up wishing for two different pets; a dog and a cat! To their surprise, their parents both let them adopt the animal of their choice from their local shelter. But this doesn't go exactly how they both anticipated. Becket ends up with a shy and nervous dog while Nicholas ends up with a talented, outgoing and popular cat. Very different from who they are. Hopefully these animals will be able to fit into the family without causing too much trouble!

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a fun and quick read. I would definitely recommend to any children or middle grade readers!

Every page packs energy and surprises as this character refuses to be steered away from achieving her goals.

Becket and her twin brother are about to celebrate their tenth birthdays...and it just so happens to fall on the tenth of the tenth month. Convinced this can only be the true sign of luck, Becket decides to celebrate big time no matter what her brother's wishes are. She also has decided that the two of them will make a certain, twin-birthday wish. But things don't quite go as planned...they might just turn out better, but with surprises, she might or might not be able to master.

I did read the first book in this series, but it's not necessary to read it as a series. While the first book does set the stage for the farm, characters and such, it was still no problem to dive right into this book. In other words, it can be read as a stand alone.

To say Becket is full of spunk is an understatement. She's a character, which says what she wants and doesn't let others barely get a word in edge-wise. Her determination and energy are inspirational, although this is also what causes her troubles. She's got a good heart, but sometimes, looses sight of what others might feel around her. Her over-eagerness gets her into interesting situations, and it's hard not to feel for her twin brother as he tries his best to often steer clear. Still, the sibling relationship is golden and full of ups and downs.

The text is appropriate for the intended audience, and thanks to the lovely illustrations sprinkled everywhere, tons of fun to read. There's never a boring moment.

I was definitely not disappointed in this second book in this series for children. Becket and her brother Nicholas and her sister Caroline are all back. This story revolves around Beckets and Nicholas tenth birthday party and a Halloween fair at school. There are lots of laughs in the story. I really like this group of kids. I received a copy of this book from Algonquin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I can't say enough about this series! All Pets Allowed is the second book and it definitely delivers. Becket is so full of love and life that you can't help but want to encourage her and laugh at her one liners. Family and pulling together is the theme that plays out through the story and it is done in a way that I feel will make young readers stop and think in a positive way. This book is great for all and would also be a good choice as a read aloud or family read.

I can't wait to see what comes next for Becket and her family.