The Battle of Bubble and Squeak

A 1001 CBYMRBYGU. I was a picky reader as a child. I loved fantasy. I stayed away from realistic fiction. I remember being horribly disappointed with books that appeared to be about magical experiences and were, instead, simply cleverly titled realistic fiction.

Not sure what I would have made of this book as a child, then. As an adult, I like it a lot. Sid wants a pet but his mom says no. A friend has given him two small gerbils, and his mom says to take them back. Unexpectedly, Sid's quiet stepdad says the gerbils should stay.