When I was a kid I had fringe pets. These were animals that didn’t qualify under the domesticated category that most people associate pets with. For example, I had a rabbit, granted lots of people have rabbits as pets but these rabbits were outside, never came inside, and rarely graced the touch of a human hand. We also had a crow, who ironically had the same home the rabbit did, albeit a couple of years later. Saucy is a book that’s aimed at upper elementary through Middle School readers and is all about those fringe pets. The cover has a pig who is running with glee, possibly running away from or towards something as the back jacket as a small family who is chasing him for some reason. That illustration gives you a great feeling for how the book reads.
Saucy knows that it’s not going to be everybody’s best friend. However, the book is so charming and has such a sweet sensibility to it that any child in 5th grade and up will be able to relate to it on some level. The chapters might be a little long for those middle Elementary School readers but if those readers really like animals and especially like pigs then they’ll dive into it without any hesitation, even if the chapters are a little intimidating for them. Those Middle School readers who are looking for some comfort reading food will enjoy this book that seems to be tailor-made for a warm afternoon.
As the book starts we meet Becca, an early middle school student who is enjoying summer with her family and friends. She is one of four quadruplets and each of them has their own distinct personality. She’s certainly the more Zen of them as we see her meditating as the book goes through its paces. One night the family is out for a walk and they see some rustling in the bushes nearby. Becca peers through the foliage and sees a pig.
Parents will then know where the book is going. It’s the child who is going through a stage and is very insistent that they can take care of anything and everything. And that is exactly what Becca does as she convinces her father to take the pig to the local vet’s office. Their visit plays out just like you thought it would with the pig needing hundreds of dollars in Veterinary Care even at a reduced rate.
Now is a great time to mention to those older readers that being a veterinarian is a fabulous career choice.
The pig has now been named, and Saucy is fitting in all too well with the family. They’ve adjusted their sleeping areas around the pig and even going into where it sleeps at night. Unfortunately for their parents, this area is what used to be their kitchen and now they have all the children sleeping in there at night with a pig who is growing at an alarming rate.
As pets get bigger especially those fringe pets who aren’t meant the live inside, alternate accommodations must be made. This is where the veterinarian recommends a pig sanctuary that’s nearby. When the family goes out there for a visit it seems on the up and up, but is everything really the way it seems?
Those readers who are 10 years old and up will really enjoy this book. It says things that children know they should accept and realizes what really must happen, even when they don’t want to be so. For example, the potentially complex world of animal rescue, as well as animals that are food, are broached upon in the book. This isn’t done in a heavy-handed way. It’s done in a realistic way that these ages will be able to understand and know why things have to happen, without speaking down to them.
There are some illustrations in the book by Marianna Raskin. They aren’t integral to the story, but they do help move it along and demonstrate the sensibilities of the family as well as the personality quirks of the children. The chapters are all very appropriate lengths, with the longest chapters being around 9 pages and some only being a couple of pages.
Even if your elementary-aged reader isn’t a fan of pigs they’ll still be attracted to this book. There’s an undeniable charm and overall feeling of contentedness about it. Those readers might learn a thing or two about animal rescue or Veterinary Services, but it’s more likely that they’ll just enjoy reading the book.
Saucy is by Cyynthia Kadohata, with illustrations by Marianna Raskin and available on Antheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
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