From Newbery Medalist and National Book Award-winning author Cynthia Kadohata comes an irrepressible and heartwarming story about a girl and her ever-growing pig, Saucy--perfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan and Flora & Ulysses!
Being a quadruplet can make it hard to stand out from the crowd. Becca's three brothers all have something that makes them...them. Bailey has his music and dancing, Jammer plays hockey, and K.C. thinks they're all living in a simulation and doesn't see the point of doing much of anything. Becca is the only one with nothing to make her special.
But when she finds a tiny, sick piglet on the side of the road, Becca knows this is it. This is her thing. She names the piglet Saucy and between her own pleading and Saucy's sweet, pink face, Becca convinces her family to take her in. Soon, Saucy is as big a part of the family as anyone else--and getting bigger. With each pound Saucy gains, the more capable she becomes of destroying the house and landing Becca in trouble.
Some tough decisions need to be made about Becca's pet, and her search for solutions brings to light exactly where Saucy came from. Turns out, there are a lot more scared piglets out there, and saving them may take Becca and her brothers finally doing something together.---from the publisher
304 pages 978-1442412781 Ages 8-12
Keywords: family, brothers and sisters, quadruplets, multiples, finding yourself, pig, animal rescue, working together, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, character driven, acceptance, accepting others, multigenerational
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Becca is one of four. She's a multiple - a quadruplet and her three brothers all have something that makes them unique and special. Bailey has cerebral palsy and rocks his wheel chair. Jammer plays a tough game of hockey and keeps his parents busy running him from one practice to another. K.C. is convinced that the entire world we live in is just an alien driven simulation. Becca.... well, Becca is still figuring that out.
This is Becca's story. She has a friend problem. She has a grandmother problem. She has a how can I be special problem. Well, she has that problem until the day the whole family is out for a walk and Becca discovers a small pig down in the brush and the brambles. The pig is covered with dirt and everything else nasty but to Becca she's the cutest thing ever.
So, Becca brings the pig home and falls in love with her. She names the pig Saucy and in a few days Becca has to start a list of all the things Saucy has done that Becca will need to pay her parents back for...and that includes the curtains in the living room, her mother's entire vegetable garden and several pieces of furniture.
How long can you keep a pig? Can a pig really help you figure out what's special about yourself?
This is a character-driven story about a girl, three brothers, a very understanding set of parents, and a pig with a huge attitude. Gentle and full of the goodness of family.
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
