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Discovering Pig Magic
Discovering Pig Magic follows the exploits of Mattie (or Miss M, or just M) and her friends Ariel and Nicki as they attempt to overcome the problems that plague their 13-year-old lives. After finding a book of spells, the three girls perform a ritual that will grant each the object of her desire. This requires that they each bury a special object. Ariel buries a tiny antique spoon; Nicki puts in a thumb-sized leather mother-and-child doll; and Miss M contributes a small ceramic pig with real gold inlays. When the magic starts to take effect, the girls' longed-for wishes carry unintended, and unwelcome, consequences. Breaking the spell before something really bad happens becomes crucial, but doing so may be too much even for these resourceful friends. Julie Crabtree's wonderfully funny novel captures the everyday lives of three quirky, engaging girls, and shows that some wishes may be better left unfulfilled.
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 19, 2022
This lovely coming of age story follows the lives of 3 friends who are feeling the awkwardness of that age and wanting things to be different they follow a spell in a magic book to with the hopes of changing things. and this book follows their journey of self and change which leads them to a place they might not have expected. And yes lovely pig is part of this journey. How? Read it and see. ;)
January 11, 2009
Be ready to be charmed by Julie Crabtree’s Discovering Pig Magic, a delightful coming of age tale centred on the lives of three seventh grade girls. The book is written through the perspective of Mattie (also Miss M or M), who abhors anything to do with pigs, but is not able to disclose this slight piece of information to her loved ones. So they, of course, shower her with pig-themed gifts on her thirteenth birthday – and all birthdays before that. Her bedroom hosts the largest and strangest pig collection in the world. Isn’t she too grown up for this by now?
The story begins with Mattie, Ariel, and Nicki performing a ritual from an unknown book of magic spells. Soon after, things somehow begin to go wrong. Mattie’s relationships with her mom and the boy she likes is tested, Ariel is embroiled in a sticky cookery situation, and Nicki hides a dark secret. Did the magic betray them? Why won’t Nicki and Ariel help to undo it? Is their friendship strong enough to survive?
Crabtree’s style is refreshing to read. The modern lingo employed makes Mattie’s world utterly believable and chapters sometimes read like short bursts of diary entries. No attempt is made to whitewash events; the writing feels very personal as if you are invited into Mattie’s mind, feeling her awkwardness with boys, her laughter with her two best friends, and her frustration with her mother’s apathy and unintentional neglect.
Discovering Pig Magic is in no way a supernatural story, but rather, an enchanting tale that has magical moments. Far from being a fantasy, it is gritty, dealing with everyday teenage life, and is ultimately about the pain that comes before discovering adulthood. The fiction deals with important realistic issues like divorce, agoraphobia, Down’s Syndrome, and even plagiarism, making it a valuable educational text appropriate for study in schools. The girls in this book are independent, wilful, and resourceful – an excellent literary choice to have on the curriculum.
Winner of the Milkweed Prize for Children’s Literature, and Julie Crabtree’s first novel, Discovering Pig Magic is a sure success that will warm the hearts of its audience.
Review by Payal Patel
The story begins with Mattie, Ariel, and Nicki performing a ritual from an unknown book of magic spells. Soon after, things somehow begin to go wrong. Mattie’s relationships with her mom and the boy she likes is tested, Ariel is embroiled in a sticky cookery situation, and Nicki hides a dark secret. Did the magic betray them? Why won’t Nicki and Ariel help to undo it? Is their friendship strong enough to survive?
Crabtree’s style is refreshing to read. The modern lingo employed makes Mattie’s world utterly believable and chapters sometimes read like short bursts of diary entries. No attempt is made to whitewash events; the writing feels very personal as if you are invited into Mattie’s mind, feeling her awkwardness with boys, her laughter with her two best friends, and her frustration with her mother’s apathy and unintentional neglect.
Discovering Pig Magic is in no way a supernatural story, but rather, an enchanting tale that has magical moments. Far from being a fantasy, it is gritty, dealing with everyday teenage life, and is ultimately about the pain that comes before discovering adulthood. The fiction deals with important realistic issues like divorce, agoraphobia, Down’s Syndrome, and even plagiarism, making it a valuable educational text appropriate for study in schools. The girls in this book are independent, wilful, and resourceful – an excellent literary choice to have on the curriculum.
Winner of the Milkweed Prize for Children’s Literature, and Julie Crabtree’s first novel, Discovering Pig Magic is a sure success that will warm the hearts of its audience.
Review by Payal Patel
March 6, 2009
Have you ever made the mistake of telling someone in your family that you think something is cute or funny, or that you bought one and liked it? Say you were really into butterflies in the 9th grade, now here you are with your first child and you're still getting crap with butterflies on it for every occassion that merits receiving a gift.
I mentioned that I liked sock monkeys once. Over several years, I got a handmade sock momkey, 2 sock monkey kits, sock monkey Christmas tree ornaments, finally that banana that broke the monkey's back, one year, I got a horse made of sock monkey socks that came on a stick that you could ride. I was 25.
I've only read the first chapter and I already identify with Mattie. Except instead of sock monkeys, she gets pigs.
Whew, thank goodness that I'm finished. This was one of those books where the characters have so many issues that it sort of worries you. Mattie is boy crazy,her mom is on Klonopin and she's beginning to suspect that mom is slightly agoraphobic. Ariel not only plagiarised Rachel Ray, but she looks and is named after the freakin' Little Mermaid. Having gianormous boobs isn't helping matters either. And Nicki is harboring a shameful secret, that turns out to be only slightly sad in the end.
So where does magic come into play?
Mattie convinces her friends to delve into Wicca Lite after she finds a book of spells at a used bookstore. The three friends conduct a ritual in hopes that it will help in fixing some of their problems. Things start going awry and they begin to wonder if the magic is backfiring or if it's even real at all.
I mentioned that I liked sock monkeys once. Over several years, I got a handmade sock momkey, 2 sock monkey kits, sock monkey Christmas tree ornaments, finally that banana that broke the monkey's back, one year, I got a horse made of sock monkey socks that came on a stick that you could ride. I was 25.
I've only read the first chapter and I already identify with Mattie. Except instead of sock monkeys, she gets pigs.
Whew, thank goodness that I'm finished. This was one of those books where the characters have so many issues that it sort of worries you. Mattie is boy crazy,her mom is on Klonopin and she's beginning to suspect that mom is slightly agoraphobic. Ariel not only plagiarised Rachel Ray, but she looks and is named after the freakin' Little Mermaid. Having gianormous boobs isn't helping matters either. And Nicki is harboring a shameful secret, that turns out to be only slightly sad in the end.
So where does magic come into play?
Mattie convinces her friends to delve into Wicca Lite after she finds a book of spells at a used bookstore. The three friends conduct a ritual in hopes that it will help in fixing some of their problems. Things start going awry and they begin to wonder if the magic is backfiring or if it's even real at all.
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com
Miss M, Ariel, and Nicki have just entered seventh grade and are learning that being thirteen is a strange feeling. Growing up is never easy, and not only are they changing, but school, family, and friends are changing, too.
Ariel aspires to be the next cooking superstar, Mattie is dealing with divorced parents and a mom who won't leave the house (plus her strange collection of pigs), and Nicki has secrets about her family she hasn't yet shared.
After finding an old magic book, the girls decide that this is their year, and set out to perform a magic ritual in the hopes that things will start anew and being a teenager will begin on an exciting path.
But dabbling in magic and making wishes doesn't always turn out the way you hope, and things start to take a turn for the worse. The girls find themselves in sticky situations and their friendship tested. Can they undo the magic?
This may sound like a paranormal fantasy, but it's really a sweet, charming, coming-of-age story with the magic taking a backseat. Julie Crabtree has captured the middle school transition and tween voice perfectly. I would recommend this one for young teen girls who enjoy friendship stories. This would also make a great tween book club choice.
Miss M, Ariel, and Nicki have just entered seventh grade and are learning that being thirteen is a strange feeling. Growing up is never easy, and not only are they changing, but school, family, and friends are changing, too.
Ariel aspires to be the next cooking superstar, Mattie is dealing with divorced parents and a mom who won't leave the house (plus her strange collection of pigs), and Nicki has secrets about her family she hasn't yet shared.
After finding an old magic book, the girls decide that this is their year, and set out to perform a magic ritual in the hopes that things will start anew and being a teenager will begin on an exciting path.
But dabbling in magic and making wishes doesn't always turn out the way you hope, and things start to take a turn for the worse. The girls find themselves in sticky situations and their friendship tested. Can they undo the magic?
This may sound like a paranormal fantasy, but it's really a sweet, charming, coming-of-age story with the magic taking a backseat. Julie Crabtree has captured the middle school transition and tween voice perfectly. I would recommend this one for young teen girls who enjoy friendship stories. This would also make a great tween book club choice.
November 25, 2013
The title intrigued me and when I found out that Milkweed Editions published this book I decided to read it. It never grabbed a hold of me, however, I'm not a 13-year-old girl. Maybe it would interest that age group. This is a story about three friends who are not in the popular crowd and try to stay invisible. They each have their own problems…Mattie (or MissM) is from a divorced home with a mom who is depressed and plays video games, Ariel has big breasts and uses Rachel Ray's recipe in a cooking contest, and Nicki has a mentally challenged baby brother.
Mattie made the mistake of telling her family that she loved pigs when she was four years old. Ever since then, everyone gives her pigs for her collection. She is tired of getting pigs and is frustrated with her family. When the girls find a book of magic, they follow one of the spells and bury some of their prized possessions to stop the course of bad events. Of course, Mattie buries a pig. When the friends split up over a disagreement, Mattie destroys her pig collection and eventually regrets her actions.
Read the book to see how the girls and Mattie's family resolve their problems.
Mattie made the mistake of telling her family that she loved pigs when she was four years old. Ever since then, everyone gives her pigs for her collection. She is tired of getting pigs and is frustrated with her family. When the girls find a book of magic, they follow one of the spells and bury some of their prized possessions to stop the course of bad events. Of course, Mattie buries a pig. When the friends split up over a disagreement, Mattie destroys her pig collection and eventually regrets her actions.
Read the book to see how the girls and Mattie's family resolve their problems.
January 12, 2009
I'll have to start off saying this book was not what I expected. I read the first chapter and almost gave up on reading it, but I'm glad I didn't. Julie Crabtree started the book off pretty boring. Then it gradually got better and better as I kept reading.
The description of the characters was excellent. She expressed each character with a different emotion. The setting throughout the book wasn't very well described, but that didn't matter much. Julie Crabtree also did a good job mixing emotions throughout the book. At some parts I felt sad and at others very happy. Crabtree also reflects on a normal 7th grade girl's life. Matilda, the main character, has conflicts just like someone my age would. She faces problems with her parent's divorce, with her social life, and also mentally. I really liked how Crabtree expressed a real feeling into Matilda.
This book was worth reading. I really enjoyed reading it.
The description of the characters was excellent. She expressed each character with a different emotion. The setting throughout the book wasn't very well described, but that didn't matter much. Julie Crabtree also did a good job mixing emotions throughout the book. At some parts I felt sad and at others very happy. Crabtree also reflects on a normal 7th grade girl's life. Matilda, the main character, has conflicts just like someone my age would. She faces problems with her parent's divorce, with her social life, and also mentally. I really liked how Crabtree expressed a real feeling into Matilda.
This book was worth reading. I really enjoyed reading it.
March 17, 2009
The author made the issues of these three friends real without overdramatizing them or belittling them and I think that's a real gift. I could sympathize with the pig collection having once made the mistake of telling my mother I liked cows. Luckily the rumor didn't spread.
Miss M, as she is known to friends and family, is dealing with her Mom's depression and the problems of her 2 best friends. All three want "something" that will change their lives for the better - hence the attempt at magic. They learn that there is no magic solution to their lives and they need to deal with their lives - with both the parts they can and can't control. I could also sympathize with Miss M's dilemma with her Mom - discovering your parents have problems and need help at the same time that you want to separate from them and form your own connections and identity.
Miss M, as she is known to friends and family, is dealing with her Mom's depression and the problems of her 2 best friends. All three want "something" that will change their lives for the better - hence the attempt at magic. They learn that there is no magic solution to their lives and they need to deal with their lives - with both the parts they can and can't control. I could also sympathize with Miss M's dilemma with her Mom - discovering your parents have problems and need help at the same time that you want to separate from them and form your own connections and identity.
July 9, 2009
This is the coming of age/friendship story of three 13 year old girls. One girl is dealing with her baby brothers illness, another struggles with a lie that she told to win a contest, and the third worries about her mother's declining mental health in the wake of a divorce. Slower plot line but good character development and realistic situations and resolutions. Read-alike for fans of Emma Jean Lazarus and Crooked Kind of Perfect.
February 10, 2014
Matilda's parents have divorced and her mother has become a Mall Tycoon playing agoraphobic. Hoping for an improvement in this and other aspects of 13 year-old life, Miss M, and her two best friends perform a sacrificial ritual (from a yard sale magic book). Things seem much worse afterwards and they argue about whether to undo it.
June 1, 2015
I think this is a book my female students will like. It is about discovering self and friendships. The mother in the book is struggling with anxiety and depression.
My only problem with the book is how negatively men are portrayed. There is not one good male in this book. While I like strong women characters, they should come at the expense of decent male figures.
My only problem with the book is how negatively men are portrayed. There is not one good male in this book. While I like strong women characters, they should come at the expense of decent male figures.
July 18, 2017
I thought this book was an okay beach read. The book was about a girl and her two friends who found a "magic" book. They performed one of the spells but after a little bit a bunch of problems started occurring and the girls had to solve them. I didn't think there was very much to think about but it was an okay book to read for fun.
April 22, 2009
Discovering Pig Magic was a quick, engrossing read. I loved the whole "pig" aspect of the book, as well as the relationship between Mattie, Ariel, and Nicki. The book didn't wrap up very well, but the story made up for it.
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June 14, 2021Teen book, I listened to the audio book and it was most definitely a light 'read'. Nice story of three middle school friends who are worried about things going on in their lives. Family problems, boy problems.
April 5, 2011
it was okay it just really didnt grab my attention! like mrs.neal says: i will never give a book one star becuase the author put their heart and soul into the book and who am i to judge theier heart?
March 4, 2009
Filled with sweetness and light fluff, but it's a solid coming of age story for 11-14 year old girls. Easily digested.
December 10, 2009
that you should trust your friends.. oh and that magic.. well black magic.. (the worst kind of all) is... preeeeeetty frightening. lol
May 10, 2010
A very cute story of 3 6 grade girls. A great bff story and one that touchs on ideas that meaning young teens have about their affect on their world.
April 22, 2011
Great book and the audio version is a cool way to experience the story.
May 17, 2011
A light and lovely story about three young girls' lives. The main character faces some difficulties when her mother's depression worsens. She turns to her two close friends for support.
July 23, 2012
Kinda boring at first but really cute story once I got into it! Great little story about friendship :)
January 9, 2025
This is one of my favorite books from childhood. It's a great read for young girls.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews