A liverwurst-loving cricket. A waddling raccoon. And, of course, a funny bunny (yep, that’s him over on the left).

These are just a few of the creatures we’ve rounded up for our latest podcast, all about unusual animals (in other words, animals other than cats or dogs)!

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Download the MP3 (13 MB)
• Sink your teeth into this week’s mystery book (pun intended!)
• Our Unusual Animals book picks (Hoot and The Cricket in Times Square)
• It’s a zoo in here — thanks YOUR book recs (The Wind in the Willows and Drake’s Comprehensive Compendium of Dragonology)
• Karen hearts Logan Lerman

And don’t forget: our next topic is books involving time travel! So watch our latest Mystery Book Theater video and check out these time travel books that are so good, you’ll lose track of the time while you read them!

— Nancy and Karen

Reviewed by: Meghan, Age 11 from Rhode Island

Featured in "Rabbits and Crickets and Owls - Oh My!"

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This Book is so cool, I have it at home. It has many greatly illustrated sections and descriptions. It has facts, riddles, and rhimes for dragons. Even color descriptions! I reccommend this book to every-dragon lover!

This book trailer for Bunnicula was originally the Mystery Book Theater video for our Unusual Animals theme. For more on Bunnicula, check out our “Rabbits and Crickets and Owls – Oh My!” podcast.

What could be sweeter than an adorable little rabbit? Look at the Easter Bunny and Little Cottontail, right? At least, that’s what the family thinks in Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe. But when they adopt an abandoned rabbit, it soon becomes clear that this unusual animal was never the type to hop down the Bunny Trail…

News reporters like to focus on the divide between Republicans and Democrats, but here at Kidsmomo we know better — the real fight is between dog people and cat-lovers. You know what we’re talking about!

To avoid that issue, this week we’re focusing on animals other than cats and dogs. So get all your shots, and then check out these books about unusual animals (in no particular order):

1. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Karen’s pick)
2. The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (Nancy’s pick)
3. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
4. The Tiger Rising by Kate DicCamillo
5. Wringer by Jerry Spinelli
6. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
7. Rascal by Sterling North
8. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
9. Akimbo and the Lions by Alexander McCall Smith
10. Esio Trot by Roald Dahl
11. White Fang by Jack London
12. Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

If you’ve read any of these, send in your book review. Or send in a review of your favorite book about an unusual animal!

UPDATE 1/26/10: We revealed the answer to our Unusual Animals Mystery Book Theater in the “Rabbits and Crickets and Owls – Oh My!” Podcast, so take a listen if you want to know the answer. Or just tune in if you want to hear Karen mispronounce the word “burrowing” about 17 times. Well, maybe only seven times. But it’s still hilariously awkward…

Reviewed by: Noah, Age 9 from Indiana

Featured in "Baby It's Cold Outside”

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Chester, a cricket who has came from Conneticut, was probably a legendary music artist at his home. Meeting a mouse and a friendly cat, they must help the poor Belinies. Will he succeed?

Reviewed by: blake, Age 10 from Indiana

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After being born in a cave White Fang and his siblings are starving. Tragectly White Fang is the only survivor, so him and his mom have to work together to stay alive. and when White Fang went hunting on his own he got attacked by a hawk. Then he goes to a river and falls in, he can’t swim. Does he survive? Read this book to find out. I’ve told you to much so you NEED to read this NOW!!!!!!

Reviewed by: beki, Age 9 from Indiana

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hi this book  is wonderful its about a bunny that is a vampire get this book and find out what happens.