Saucy
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3.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
From Newbery Medalist and National Book Award–winning author Cynthia Kadohata comes a “funny, lively” (Horn Book Magazine), 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. Jake has his music, 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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Eleven-year-old Becca, a quadruplet, believes herself a coward due to the way she treated a former friend. She also worries that she's the only one of her siblings without a specific interest. Bailey, who uses a wheelchair, composes music; Jammer plays hockey; and math- and science-minded K.C. "believed that they might all be living in a simulation." Everything changes, though, on a family walk through their Ohio town, when Becca finds and insists on saving a piglet sick with mange. Saucy, as she names the animal, is a small force of destruction, leaving ruined kitchen cabinets, screen doors, and gardens in her wake ("That pig is nuts. I like her," says Bailey). And Saucy is going to be big, likely to reach 600 pounds. Pictured in expressive black-and-white illustrations by Raskin, Becca and Saucy are the entertaining, delightful heart of this story featuring a close-knit family and a child considering the ramifications of cruelty and of healing. Newbery Medalist Kadohata (Kira-Kira) realistically portrays Becca's growth through rich internality, and her journey to loving herself and Saucy enough to give both what they need feels organic and true. Ages 8 12.
