Masks

Vet Volunteers #11

by Laurie Halse Anderson

After assisting with her own cat's emergency surgery, Sunita decides she can no longer work with animals and accepts an internship at a lab, unaware that the research conducted there includes animal testing.

Genres: Childrens, Middle Grade, Animals, Fiction, Realistic Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

UPDATE! Rebellion 1776 is out! The New York Times wrote, "Filled with immersive detail, expert delineations of complex characters, and both harsh and loving reality, Rebellion 1776 provides young readers with a true experience of a historic moment in time that resonates with today's world." Huzzah!

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author of many award-winning books including the groundbreaking, modern classic Speak, a National Book Award finalist which has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 35 languages.

In 2023, Anderson was named the Laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, long considered to be the de facto 'Nobel Prize for Children's Literature.'

A passionate spokesperson for the need to combat censorship, she has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives near Philadelphia. Go Birds!

Follow Laurie on Bluesky at @halseanderson.bsky.social, Instagram at halseanderson, and Facebook at lauriehalseanderson, or by visiting her website, madwomanintheforest.com.

Reviews

[Verania Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vet Volunteers Masks

The book Vet Volunteers Masks by Laurie Halse Anderson I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. This book is very relatable to me because I myself has a cat and to imagine your cat getting sick and the medicine isn't working, it is very scary. This is exactly what happens to Sutina. While Sunitas cat is being treated she invests in a lab to help animals. Later she feels as though it is not fitting for her but Sutins got very good advice from Michaela,’’ There's a lot to you, and it isn't always easy for a complex person to find her way.Eventually your path will become clear im sure of it.” This teaches a great lesson and sends a amazing message to so many people. The overall story has many messages but tells a great story while doing so. That is why I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars

[Finley Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I.Love.It.!

[Isabela DeAnda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vet Volunteers: Mask by Laurie Halse Anderson was an okay book, it has lack of detail, and story plot. Even though some parts were full of emotion and made me feel some type of ways those parts were rare. It is well written just lack of excitement, but that just may be because the book is very short going for there are only 103 pages. But still good job~!

[Whitney Boatright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost gave this book four stars, but the end made me change it. I liked how Michaela made sunita the mask of the tiger as a reminder of how she sees her. And im glad sunita decided to stay at the clinic!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the complexity of issues tackled in these books. This one deals with lab testing on animals. I also love the characters. Anderson is such a great writer.

[Sh4h1n4zzz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ce lit facilement et rapidement

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunita loves animals. Her and her friends assist at a local veterinary practice. But her own cat has become injured, and she's been asked to volunteer at a lab that does animal experiments. Can she reconcile her love for animals with what happens when they are harmed?

Unusual book in that it takes its subject matter seriously, and ends on a bit of a down note. While Sunita learns she can't be a party to harming animals, it's not a one-sided screed against animal research. The veterinary parts of the book are well done.

However, as the other reviewer notes, the book is unrealistic. Sunita looks like a twelve or thirteen year old, albeit a bright one; it would be rare for her to be able to volunteer in an normal vet, let alone intern in a research facility. When her cat Mittens becomes sick, he spends a very long time under care, which would be too expensive for most people to afford. If you can overlook these things, it's a fine book with a smart, Indian-American heroine.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie, Sunita, Brenna, and David work on their Halloween costumes at Dr. Mac’s place. A few days later, Sunita finds her cat, Mittens, curled in a ball at the back of her closet. The cat has been vomiting and is in a lot of pain. After taking an x-ray, Dr. Mac finds out that the cat ate some string. Sunita is filled with guilt when she realizes that the string came from her Halloween costume. She questions whether she’s responsible enough to take care of animals. Her father suggests that she takes an internship at his associate’s research lab that creates new medicines for animals. When Sunita starts working at the lab, Brenna treats her with disdain. Supposedly, the lab kills some of the animals for research purposes. Sunita wonders if this is true, and, if it is, what will she do.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

See the first book in the series for a full review.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Laurie, never stop writing these beautiful, touching books!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! It was better than Time to Fly, but not as good as Trapped.