Pig and the Shrink

by Pamela Todd

Tucker Harrison has a big problem. The principal has nixed his handwriting analysis project for the science fair--can he help it if his teacher's handwriting shows a criminal mind? Now he quickly must come up with a project that's sure to dazzle the judges and get him into the State Math and Science Academy, something his father is counting on.

Tucker is desperately searching for an idea when he runs smack into Pig. Angelo Pighetti is the fat kid in class, the one who always gets picked on. Suddenly Tucker has a brainstorm--why not make Pig his science fair project? If he can get Pig to lose weight he'll have a living, breathing, successful experiment. What could be more perfect?

But Tucker soon learns that Pig has his own ideas of how to live his life. What is there to do when your subject won't cooperate?


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Humor, Friendship

192 pages, Hardcover

First published August 10, 1999

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pig and the Shrink is about accepting your friends and family for who they are, whether you agree with them or not. Tucker Harrison needed a science project idea fast. His idea was to study obesity in children, and his friend, Angelo Pighetti was the perfect test case. He was overweight and Tucker thought he would be much happier thinner and healthier. As the dieting experiment progressed, the desired outcome did not materialize, in fact, Angelo gained weight. Angelo was happy with himself and had no intention of changing. When the class bullies try to intimidate both Tucker and Angelo, they come together as friends to overcome them. In the end, Tucker realizes that being comfortable with one's self, respecting each other's viewpoints and standing up to bullies is worth more than a banquet full of mis-laid plans.