<DIV>Pets may not have words, but they can communicate. Paying attention to an animal&rsquo;s cues&mdash;a joyful bark, a scary growl, a swishing tail&mdash;can help a child understand what the animal is &ldquo;saying&rdquo; and what an appropriate response might be. That&rsquo;s part of what this book is about. But mostly it&rsquo;s about showing children how to love pets gently&mdash;because pets are for loving, after all. Kids learn that teasing isn&rsquo;t nice, that they can choose to be kind to animals, and that if you want to touch someone else&rsquo;s pet, there&rsquo;s one important rule you should know: Ask the owner first! A special section for adults includes ideas for teaching kindness to animals, activities, and discussion starters.</DIV>