CAN I KEEP IT, PLEASE?

The Story

When I babysat my nieces, I often pulled them for miles in a red wagon. Sometimes, we'd veer off into a field and pick wildflowers. When we were lucky, we'd find a garter snake. Not only weren't the girls frightened of snakes, but they would also have taken them home — where we had cats —had I let them. The memory of girls, snakes, and cats inspired me to write Can I Keep It, Please? It's the story of a girl who learns to appreciate what she has and to be cautious of what she wishes for

Paula Wiseman helped me immensely with the plot. She also enlisted the services of illustrator Jessica Gibson.

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Kirkus Review writes, "Gibson's colorful cartoonlike illustrations set a cheery tone; Sasha's especially endearing, maintaining a supportive presence even as Evie's attention is dominated by Slithers."

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Can I Keep It, Please? is my fourth book and will be published by Simon & Schuster in August 2025.

Awards & Honors

​Reviews:

"Sullivan offers a sweet and well-paced take on responsible pet ownership, starring a protagonist who's keenly aware of her animals' needs. Gibson's colorful cartoon-like illustrations set a cheery tone. A rousing ode to animals who aren't meant to be pets but instead should be admired from afar: Cheers to them."

–KIRKUS

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“Sullivan effectively conveys that different beings have different natures—and that the best pet is the one that chooses you.” –Publishers Weekly