How Tickles Saved Pickles: A True Story

In an uplifting underdog (underpig?) story, piglet Pickles is the last of his siblings to be adopted. After finding a forever home, Pickles makes dog friends and even learns how to paint and surf--moments captured in bright, endearing photographs. But when the black-and-white pig eats "something I shouldn't have eaten" (rat poison, according to the back matter), he requires a blood transfusion. Enter Tickles: a 650 lb. hog whose blood donation saves Pickles's life. Pickles wishes for a home for Tickles as well (if she were to stay, "She wouldn't fit in my bathtub. She wouldn't fit at our table"). Finally, Pickles explains, his parents find a friendly farm for Tickles to live--and where Pickles (as well as his new brother, a French bulldog puppy named Dill) can visit anytime. Johnson's narrative is uncomplicated and earnest; animal lovers will be particularly touched by Pickles's relationships with other animal friends. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Gr 3-5--Pickles the pig used to live in a cold, damp barn before his human parents rescued him and made him their beloved pet. One day, he gets very sick and needs a blood transfusion, so his parents jump into action to find a suitable donor. They locate a match in Tickles, a 650-pound porker from a far-away farm, and with her assistance, Pickles becomes a healthy, peppy piglet once more. Pickle's parents also help find Tickles a spacious new forever home on a farm where she can live out her days as happy as Pickles. Full-bleed photos featuring the two lovable pigs and their creature companions are sure to delight young animal lovers, while the medical aspects of Pickles's journey will appeal to those with a budding interest in veterinary science. Concise and snappy text makes this an excellent read-aloud that successfully translates a complex problem for young listeners. While the story is sweet, it does lack the emotional punch of similar tales like Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu's Owen & Mzee. VERDICT Purchase where true animal friendship stories and photographic picture books are popular.--Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY