The Great Pet Heist

Compare and contrast the leadership styles of Oscar and Walt. Examine how Oscar’s reliance on theoretical knowledge from television conflicts with Walt’s secretive, action-based methods. Which character’s approach is ultimately more critical to the group’s success?

The narrative perspective is limited primarily to the animals’ points of view. How does this narrative choice allow Emily Ecton to create a tone that balances humor with the genuine peril of the animals’ situation?

How does the button motif evolve as the animals’ understanding of the human world changes, and how does it motivate their shift from passive hope to active intervention?

Trace Butterbean’s character development from a naive, comfort-seeking pet into a proactive agent in her own survival. How does her improvisation of “Plan B” during the reconnaissance mission mark a turning point for her character and the group’s overall strategy?

Explore how the Strathmore apartment building functions as more than just a setting. How do the animals utilize the building’s hidden infrastructure, such as the vents and plumbing, to assert their agency and overcome their physical powerlessness?

The guide places The Great Pet Heist within the literary tradition of anthropomorphism and secret lives. In what ways does Ecton’s novel modernize this tradition by incorporating contemporary elements like technology and the specific structure of the caper genre?

The theme of deception is central to the plot, applying not only to the pets but also to Madison and the Coin Man. Analyze how the novel uses these parallel secret lives to explore the idea that survival in a precarious world often depends on constructing a deceptive facade.

Examine the novel’s function as an origin story for the “Strathmore Seven.” How does the conclusion resolve the immediate crisis while simultaneously establishing the team’s identity, dynamics, and resources for future adventures in the series?