MOBILE, Ala. — A former elementary school teacher who now trains future educators at the University of Mobile has turned a familiar classroom question into a children’s book. Dr. Jessica Freeland, an assistant professor of education, recently published “What Will We Get for Our Class Pet?”
Freeland both wrote and illustrated the 76-page book, which is intended for readers ages 8 and up. It combines a story about a fourth-grade class with practical information about different classroom animals, and it includes a section written specifically for teachers.
A classroom story with a research twist
The book follows a fourth-grade class as it decides what kind of pet to bring into the room. Instead of simply picking a favorite animal, each student researches a potential class pet and presents it to classmates, and the class then votes on which animal to adopt.
The format mirrors the kind of project-based learning many elementary teachers use: students gather information, organize it, share it aloud and then make a decision together. Along the way, young readers see research, public speaking and voting modeled by characters their own age.
Woven into the story is information about a variety of animals that are commonly kept as class pets, along with how to take care of them. Readers learn what each animal needs to stay healthy, which helps children understand that a pet is a responsibility as well as a source of fun.
Tips for teachers
Freeland’s background as an elementary teacher shows in the book’s final section. It includes tips for teachers who are considering keeping a class pet, as well as ideas for connecting a classroom animal to different subject areas.
A class pet can become a starting point for lessons across the curriculum. For example, teachers often use classroom animals to support:
- Science: observing behavior, life cycles and habitats.
- Math: measuring food, tracking growth or graphing data over time.
- Reading and writing: keeping observation journals or researching an animal’s needs.
- Social and emotional learning: sharing responsibilities and practicing empathy and care.
The book’s teacher section aims to help educators make those connections in a practical way, according to the description of the book.
From elementary classroom to college classroom
Freeland now teaches as an assistant professor of education at the University of Mobile, where faculty prepare students to become teachers. Her experience in elementary classrooms gives her firsthand knowledge of the questions and challenges teachers face, including the everyday logistics of caring for an animal in a room full of children.
Writing for children is a natural extension of that experience. Books that pair a story with real-world information can help young readers build knowledge while they enjoy a narrative, an approach widely used in elementary classrooms and school libraries.
By illustrating the book herself, Freeland also shaped how the story’s characters and animals appear on the page, giving the project a single, consistent vision from text to pictures.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a private Christian university located in north Mobile County. Its education programs prepare students for teaching careers, and its faculty includes former classroom teachers like Freeland who bring that experience into their courses.
About the book
- Title: “What Will We Get for Our Class Pet?”
- Author and illustrator: Dr. Jessica Freeland, assistant professor of education, University of Mobile
- Audience: Ages 8 and up
- Length: 76 pages
- Story: A fourth-grade class researches potential class pets, presents them and votes
- Extras: Information on caring for common class pets and tips for teachers on keeping class pets and connecting them to subject areas
