About the book
Crusher the snake will charm readers in this entertaining, funny novel about a snake in captivity and how she turns the tables on her human captor.
I am a snake.
No, not a rattlesnake. I just look like one. I’m a gopher snake.
One day an oily, filthy, fleshy human child crossed my path. As luck would have it, he knew the difference between a gopher snake and a rattlesnake. He has imprisoned me in a terrarium. His name is Gunnar. He calls me Crusher. He thinks I’m male. I’m not.
He dropped in a dead mouse and hoped I’d eat it. I buried it. He then dropped in a live one, which he called “Breakfast.” I didn’t lay a coil on it.
Gunnar thinks I’ll be his adoring pet. He’s wrong.
In fact, I am planning my escape. I may take breakfast with me.
- Unlikely Friendship: Crusher is supposed to eat the live mouse dropped in her tank. Instead, she finds herself protecting a tiny, white-furred creature named Breakfast.
- Sarcastic Narrator: Told from the witty, defiant point of view of Crusher, a gopher snake who has some very strong opinions about her “oily, filthy, fleshy human child” captor.
- Animal Adventure Story: From outsmarting her captor Gunnar to planning a great escape, this is a hilarious adventure about seeing the world through a very different pair of eyes.
- Friendship and Empathy: A laugh-out-loud chapter book for kids that explores big ideas about freedom, friendship, and what it means to care for someone you were never supposed to like.
Editions of We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780060821173
- EBook
- ISBN 9780061985676
Read an Excerpt
Crusher the snake will charm readers in this entertaining, funny novel about a snake in captivity and how she turns the tables on her human captor.
I am a snake.
No, not a rattlesnake. I just look like one. I’m a gopher snake.
One day an oily, filthy, fleshy human child crossed my path. As luck would have it, he knew the difference between a gopher snake and a rattlesnake. He has imprisoned me in a terrarium. His name is Gunnar. He calls me Crusher. He thinks I’m male. I’m not.
He dropped in a dead mouse and hoped I’d eat it. I buried it. He then dropped in a live one, which he called “Breakfast.” I didn’t lay a coil on it.
Gunnar thinks I’ll be his adoring pet. He’s wrong.
In fact, I am planning my escape. I may take breakfast with me.
- Unlikely Friendship: Crusher is supposed to eat the live mouse dropped in her tank. Instead, she finds herself protecting a tiny, white-furred creature named Breakfast.
- Sarcastic Narrator: Told from the witty, defiant point of view of Crusher, a gopher snake who has some very strong opinions about her “oily, filthy, fleshy human child” captor.
- Animal Adventure Story: From outsmarting her captor Gunnar to planning a great escape, this is a hilarious adventure about seeing the world through a very different pair of eyes.
- Friendship and Empathy: A laugh-out-loud chapter book for kids that explores big ideas about freedom, friendship, and what it means to care for someone you were never supposed to like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes about?
Crusher the snake will charm readers in this entertaining, funny novel about a snake in captivity and how she turns the tables on her human captor.
I am a snake.
No, not a rattlesnake. I just look like one. I’m a gopher snake.
One day an oily, filthy, fleshy human child crossed my path. As luck would have it, he knew the difference between a gopher snake and a rattlesnake. He has imprisoned me in a terrarium. His name is Gunnar. He calls me Crusher. He thinks I’m male. I’m not.
He dropped in a dead mouse and hoped I’d eat it. I buried it. He then dropped in a live one, which he called “Breakfast.” I didn’t lay a coil on it.
Gunnar thinks I’ll be his adoring pet. He’s wrong.
In fact, I am planning my escape. I may take breakfast with me.
- Unlikely Friendship: Crusher is supposed to eat the live mouse dropped in her tank. Instead, she finds herself protecting a tiny, white-furred creature named Breakfast.
- Sarcastic Narrator: Told from the witty, defiant point of view of Crusher, a gopher snake who has some very strong opinions about her “oily, filthy, fleshy human child” captor.
- Animal Adventure Story: From outsmarting her captor Gunnar to planning a great escape, this is a hilarious adventure about seeing the world through a very different pair of eyes.
- Friendship and Empathy: A laugh-out-loud chapter book for kids that explores big ideas about freedom, friendship, and what it means to care for someone you were never supposed to like.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes?
Children’s, Teenage and Educational > Children’s / Teenage: General interest > Children’s / Teenage general interest: Nature, animals, the natural world > Children’s / Teenage general interest: Reptiles and amphibians
Where can I read a sample of We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780060821173
Who is/are the Author/s of the book We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes?
Patrick Jennings
Who is the Publisher of the book We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes?
HarperCollins
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes is available as paperback(ISBN 9780060821173) and ebook(ISBN 9780061985676)
Where can I buy We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes from below
Where can I buy We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes?