Review Detail

‘Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?’ by Shel Silverstein is an adorable tale about a child and a rhinoceros, and how they come together to do funny, sweet things. The boy in the book loves his new pet and wants to make his relationship with the rhinoceros special, so they spend lots of time with each other, and the rhinoceros also helps out with other things, like making donuts with his horn, playing dress up, holding on to a jump rope, wrapping yarn around his horn to help with knitting, and so much more.

The illustrations are very sweet, and anyone who loves any other Shel Silverstein books, from ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ to ‘A Light in the Attic’ and all the others, will enjoy the emotion that stems from each image and what it conveys.

Even though the rhinoceros isn’t always happy doing what the boy wants, he does it willingly, because everyone can use a friend, and making others happy is an important aspect of being a good friend, which the rhinoceros is to his little boy, and the little boy is in return. It will make readers wonder just what kind of pet would be the perfect one for them.