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Swine Not?
by
Jimmy Buffett
Swine
Not? Swine--Yes! A fun, fun pig tale
for all ages.
Jimmy Buffett's Swine Not? is
a humorous book for all ages about a Tennessee pig's adventures in New
York City and the hilarious escapades of one Southern family as they
make their way in Manhattan. Heart-warming, witty and hilarious, Jimmy
Buffett's tale will appeal to animal lovers and anyone wanting to see a
little bit of fun and unabashed innocent joy in their reading. Jimmy
Buffett's Swine Not? would
also make a perfect gift for just about anyone.
When divorce uproots the McBride family from Vertigo, Tennessee to an
upscale hotel in Manhattan with a ban on exotic pets, there is no way
this family can leave their pot-bellied pig Rumpy, not their beloved
soccer-playing pig! In their new fish tank city home, everyone joins in
to hide Rumpy from the hotel staff, especially the chef determined to
ferret out the strange happenings surrounding his new pastry chef and
her family. One escapade upon another ensues as the family adjusts to
their new life in New York City and Barton Academy. Soccer-loving
Barley adjusts to his new team while his twin sister Maple sets about
her Karen Wu designer dreams with a new fervor. Even Syrup the cat
seems to adapt to city life. Rumpy has one mission, to find her twin
brother Lukie but when it comes to pig sense, Rumpy has completely
different tools, obstacles and sources than a private detective to
track down a missing family member! Can Rumpy achieve her goal without
exposing herself and her family to a heap of trouble?
Inspired by the true life pig tales from illustrator Helen Bransford,
Jimmy Buffett's fictional imagination creates a pig tale that will
appeal to all ages. Told through the alternating voices of the son
Barley and Rumpy, the reader feels the affection and love between the
McBride Family and their pet pig Rumpy. Through Barley, the reader
hears the voice of a son who seeks to play a protective role over his
family and yet a voice that has not lost its wonder and delight in the
world before him. Rumpy's story endears the reader with a humorous
voice that transforms the familiar and mundane aspects of life into a
pig's eye view. With a voice that is cute, sweet, enthusiastic,
eclectic and even wise, Rumpy's narrates her odyssey in a manner that
brings a bit of magic to the reader's heart. One riotous escapade after
another will have readers laughing at the sheer craziness of these pig
adventures, cheering on Rumpy and her entourage. Just as quickly, a
word of pig wisdom or a glimpse into emotion will touch a tender place
in the heart.
Helen Bransford's photo-illustrations complement this book perfectly!
The imagery inspires the imagination, allowing the reader to visualize
Rumpy's personality in all its shades: soccer goalie, listlessness,
poetic musing, humor and generosity, mischief-maker, adventuress
extraordinaire to feminine sow-like beauty. With humorous, playful
images, she helps the reader enter the world Jimmy Buffett creates in
words. Mixing realistic photographic details with drawings, the reader
sees Rumpy and his animal friends and adventures from a viewpoint that
never just slavishly mirrors the narrative in a staged scene but rather
captures the spirit itself of Jimmy Buffett's narrative.
Jimmy Buffett's Swine Not? is
a fun, fun book for adults as well as all ages. I read this book aloud
to my husband. I just could not resist! The humor and gentle yet
insightful vision of this book captivates. Swine Not? is a book to be shared,
with family, friends and anyone who wants to see the fun and goodness
in a world seen through a pig's eye and the boy who loves her. Even
before I finished reading this book, I knew I wanted to buy extra
copies for my parents and my friends. Swine Not? just brings cheer to a
reader, making this book a perfect gift. If you know anyone in the
hospital, forget the flowers and give them this book --- or better yet,
read it to them. Swine Not?
is a book that brings inner smiles, laughter and a quiet joy to
readers.
Publisher: Little,
Brown and Company (May 2008)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
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