Discusses choosing and caring for pet gerbils, including information about their physical characteristics, behaviors, and health requirements.

When his soccer teammate and new friend Stookie asks him to take care of his gerbils while he is on vacation, Jerry is happy to agree, but then disaster strikes.

"When seventh grader Nicholas V. Landrew, his beloved pet gerbil Henrietta, and a package of ground beef are beamed aboard an alien space ship, they soon find themselves on the run in a madcap chase across the universe. Now all Nicholas wants to do is get back home before his parents find out and ground him forever, but with the Universal Police hot on his trail, that won't be easy. Before it's all over, Henrietta will find herself safely ensconced...