The Pig on the Hill

PreS-Gr 3—Pig loves the solitary life. He lives on a hill with amazing views. His days are occupied with baking, completing jigsaw puzzles, and reading. Everything is perfect except for a stray hair on his forehead. While looking at his stunning view one day, Pig sees Duck. The newcomer also finds this to be a paradise and builds a home complete with a swimming pool where he holds loud parties that rock into the night, destroying Pig's peace and quiet. Duck invites him to attend, but Pig refuses until the noise becomes so unbearable that he goes to complain. In one scene, Pig is trying to eat dinner and the peas are rolling off the table because of the vibrations from next door. As the days pass, Duck visits and tells Pig about all the places he has been, the things he has done. The two discover they do have some things in common and become friends. When winter comes, there are no parties, but with spring, Duck arrives with gifts. Pig realizes that he was lonely and begins to work on travel plans with Duck. The book includes delightful postcards from their travels. The facial expressions of Pig and Duck show their feelings with amazing accuracy. Pages are full to split in fourths, thirds, and half with appropriate-size print for each page. A solid purchase, perfect for discussion about differences and acceptance.—Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN