The Fog Comes on Little Pig Feet

by Rosemary Wells

Records the dilemma of a young girl whose parents force her to go to boarding school where she seems to attract trouble.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Boarding School

151 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 1972

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).

Reviews

[Meredith Sommers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Swear words, though not mostly in speech, but in the narrative. She gets in a bunch of trouble, which is not how she acts at home, so why here? Too open about sexuality, puberty, at least for my pre-puberty children. She lies about whether she's gone through puberty, and about being pregnant, to be able to leave the school.
Moral? Don't lie? Don't get in trouble? I don't know. I struggled to know what was the point of the book.

[Andria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great YA book from the time before YA supposedly existed. This was Rosemary Wells' first novel, and was based on her own experiences at boarding school. Maybe Wells was still too emotionally close to the material or was still finding her voice, but this book, while powerful and probing at times, is a bit of a mess. I looooooved it when I was 10, don't get me wrong. It had so many great things: boarding school, rebellion, a loner girl, a bad girl, secret journal writing! And as an overly-sensitive girl child from a middle class white family, I related to Rachel enough that it didn't even occur to me that she was unlikable.

Reading it now, however, I think the ending is jarring, the illustrations belong in a book for younger children, and much of the story could have been developed more fully. And Rachel clearly suffers from panic attacks and I wish that had been addressed. But the sensations and impressions of anxiety are acutely depicted. Issues of honesty vs loyalty and conformity vs individuality are raised but not resolved.

Still, an honest look at coming of age in the 1960s and 70s, and a damn good YA novel, especially considering YA didn't even exist back then.

LOL moment: "Today we had a class instead of gym. They call it hygiene, but it's just the same old sex and drug stuff they give in public schools, which means, of course, Fallopian tubes and marijuana."

[Mary Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rachel, the first-person narrator of this story is annoying. Her parents seem a bit clueless. Why wouldn't they try to find a school where she could have time to practice the piano even if it isn't a music school. Either Rachel's mother, or Rosemary Wells, does not understand the correct use of pronouns - when to use "me" and when to use "I". Although set in a boarding school it isn't much of a boarding school story.

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another rediscovered book memory.

[Tricia Urlaub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book as a teen, still haunts me to this this day!

[s.a.west · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, for a kid's book.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting novel about an entitled teen sent unwillingly by her parents to a boarding school where they feel she will get a better education than at Julliard, where she wants to try to get in as a pianist. She bears witness to a runaway and the pressure for her to confess escalates, as does her panic about trying to escape herself. The lies build up and she's not fooling anyone. Wells' writing is excellent as ever, but I found the very ending of this book a bit sudden and confusing.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book almost 40 years ago (has it been that long, lol) and I still think of it from time to time.... that to me, is a sign of a great book. I remember really enjoying it when I was young, but I wouldn't want to reread it now as an adult and be disappointed.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a preteen about 25 years ago. I have hugely fond memories of it and would hate to reread it and be disappointed...so I think I'll just leave it at 4 stars.

[Anne White]

Read during my boarding school obsession ca. age ten, and forgotten until recently.