I'm a Pig

by Sarah Weeks, Holly Berry (Illustrations)

I′m a pig, I′m a pig, and I′m happy as a clam that I′m not an armadillo or a lion or a lamb. Happy Pig proclaims the joys of life in this ode to piggies everywhere. Whether she is oinking at the moon or wallowing in the mud, it′s easy to see why a pig is the absolutely perfect thing to be!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Self Esteem

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Sarah Weeks has been writing children’s books and songs for the past twenty years. She is a graduate of Hampshire College and NYU and recently became an adjunct faculty member in the prestigious Writing Program at the New School University, in New York City.

Her first YA novel, So B. It, which appeared on the LA Times bestseller list was chosen as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and received the 2004 Parent’s Choice Gold Award. In addition to being an author, Sarah is an accomplished singer/songwriter. She has written for television, stage and screen and a number of her picturebooks include songs which she both writes and sings for the accompanying CD’s. Sarah's titles have sold well over a million copies, including several foreign editions.

Sarah is a tireless promoter, visiting schools throughout the country, serving as author-in-residence and speaking to teachers and librarians at national conferences including IRA, ALA and NCTE. She lives in New York City with her two teenage sons.

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- This little piggy is proud and happy to be exactly who she is! In rhyming text, we are introduced to a variety of fun and positive attributes of pigs, such as the fact that they are very smart. This is a nice book to pair with Esther the Wonder Pig's social media accounts--she's a real-life piggy who is thrilled to be a pig!

Humane parents note: The piggy names a variety of other animals she's happy she is not, and unfortunately, one page is illustrated with a smiling lion in a circus ring, leaping through a firey hoop. The use of exotic animals in circuses has fallen more and more out of favor in recent decades--for good reason--and this imagery in children's media really should be relegated to history.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciate books that can be enjoyed on different levels by a wide age range of children as well as the adults who read to them. My 19-month-old is too young to know that being called a pig is a pejorative, but he loves this book (he requests it by making an “oink” sound). An understanding of the book’s lesson can come down the road. For me, it’s one of the most fun books I’ve read aloud to him because of the clever cadence and rhyme structure. Illustrations are very cute and whimsical as well.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little pig expresses his excitement about being who he is ... a pig.

Be proud of who you are!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young pig ryhmes his way through a preschool book about loving being a pig. The right roddler group might like this too.

[Guen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fun and rhyming and has some funny illustrations. It will also teach you a thing or two about pigs, like the fact that they are smart and they have very keen noses. Sometimes the rhyming falls apart though. The illustrations are lively and colorful if also a bit corny and amateurish. The best pictures show the pig pretending to be other animals, which he is glad that he is NOT, such as an armadillo, a goose, and a moose; on these pages the pig's expressions are grand. Overall, it is not a favorite but I would recommend it as a lesson in being proud of one’s own true nature. It is best suited for preschool children.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This pig is very proud of what he is, even though his name suggests otherwise. I'm a Pig helps a kid understand being true to one's own self and how self-esteem helps you be all you can be. Finding out what you're good at is what helps define your-self.

Used for "Cheep, Oink, and Moo: Chicken, Pork, and Beef" storytime-April, 2010.

Used for "National Pig Day" Storytime: March, 2012.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny rhyming book. Very easy to fly through.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture Book. Cute book about a pig who is just happy to be who she is. Good for lessons on loving who you are.

[zomgliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Message of this story is to be proud of who you are. This little guy in this book was proud to be a pig!

[Leahjoypro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I enjoy reading this book more than my kids do! Adorable.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

My there year old liked this. The illustrations and fun and colorful.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Piggy pride is present!

[Megan Mccormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was very cute to read. it was a nice rhyme book and i love pigs so i enjoyed it. its fun and you can really get into reading it to a child.

[Liz Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do love Sarah Weeks, but.... bah. Just did not enjoy this one. It's mostly nonsense with a little lesson about "being me" worked in.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pig is happy to be a pig and nothing else.

Positive message but not my favorite pig read aloud.

[Aspasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This pig is confident in who he is!

[Jennifer Barczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids (ages 2-5) enjoyed it-especially the older kids!

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story for kids, this book rocked! My kids and I had a great time with it.