Picture Book Review: A Normal Pig

We received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review Date: October 4th, 2019

Written and Illustrated By: K-Fai Steele

Cover Copy

Pip is a normal pig who does normal stuff: cooking, painting, and dreaming of what she’ll be when she grows up.
But one day a new pig comes to school and starts pointing out all the ways in which Pip is different. Suddenly she doesn’t like any of the same things she used to…the things that made her Pip.

This charming picture book celebrates all our differences while questioning the idea that there is only one way to be “normal”

Review

Every once in a while, I’ll receive a book that totally surprises me. I thought this one looked cute when I requested it, but didn’t expect to love it quite as much as I do. This is such a fantastic way of showing and explaining how detrimental homogenization is to a community and how wonderful diversity is. And I mean this on more than just the big issue ways like race, religion and culture, which are all super important and totally relatable in this, as it’s really the main theme. Especially culture and race. (One page that sticks out is where Pip gets asked if her mom is her babysitter, because my best friend and I have had this conversation about her kid when our girls were little, and I’m sure that question gets asked to a lot of mixed race children. Her daughter took after her dad so much she joked that people probably thought she was her nanny- or that I was her mom, when we were together). But there’s something about this one that also makes me feel like it translates really well for the less obvious stuff. Like the kid who wears one long sock and one short because they “match” (my kid) or halloween costumes to school on a random Tuesday in July because she’s feeling like a superhero that day (also my kid). It shows that hey, if that’s what you like, then great! It’s a celebration of individuality and the importance to your mental health of embracing the things that make you who you are. I just think it is really well executed. I also think the pig illustrations are adorable. They have a quirkiness to them that I really appreciate.

Kid Ratings

• Font Readability: 10/10
• Kid Engagement: 10/10
• Mommy Engagement: 10/10