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Animal Ark [GB Order] #8
Piglet in a Playpen
When his father tells him the family cannot afford to keep the baby piglet, Brandon's friends Mandy and James help Brandon raise a runt into a strong, healthy pig in the hope that Ruby can help make money for the farm. Original.
160 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 1999
5 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
About the author
Ben M. Baglio
217 books148 followersBen M. Baglio created the brief for two series of children's books - Dolphin Diaries and Animal Ark. Dolphin Diaries features a girl and her family from Florida, who travel around the world as marine biologists and study dolphins. Animal Ark features two children who work together to help animals and solve animal-related mysteries. The books were written by commissioned writers in the UK under Baglio's instruction using the pseudonym Lucy Daniels. Each ghostwriter is named with a 'Special Thanks' on the copyright page.
Using his real name he also wrote the book series The Pet Finders Club, featuring a group of three children who search for peoples lost pets.
Using his real name he also wrote the book series The Pet Finders Club, featuring a group of three children who search for peoples lost pets.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 9, 2024
This review is for the American Scholastic edition. One day I'll get the UK edition but not today.
This was the best Animal Ark book so far. We got our original ghostwriter, the dog-hating Jenny Oldfield back, so we have a much more action-driven and slapstick book than from the other writer that has appeared. There is a good balance between serious and silly. Some of the characters from the earlier books appear, too, such as the owner of the goat farm we met in book 4.
I've been having a rough time and so I started this book and put it down for a month or two. When I resumed it, I could still remember what was going on and who was who. As I get older, it's really rare for me to put down any book for so long and still remember anything from it. So, this book must have made a big impression on my subconscious.
As is usual for the American editions, the cover animal is painted all wrong. Ruby the piglet is black and white, yes, but banded rather than spotted.
Personally, I think there should be a law about the covers of books having to match the text but that's just me. It does take my enjoyment of a book down a notch because I wonder how stupid the publishers take the readers to be.
Although I have cut back drastically on my pork consumption, I hope to one day stop it completely. I do admire pigs. They've managed to survive despite bad diets, cramped housing and people.
This was one of 13 Animal Ark books adapted for a UK television series of the same name. I haven't seen this episode, so I don't know how it compares to the book.
This was the best Animal Ark book so far. We got our original ghostwriter, the dog-hating Jenny Oldfield back, so we have a much more action-driven and slapstick book than from the other writer that has appeared. There is a good balance between serious and silly. Some of the characters from the earlier books appear, too, such as the owner of the goat farm we met in book 4.
I've been having a rough time and so I started this book and put it down for a month or two. When I resumed it, I could still remember what was going on and who was who. As I get older, it's really rare for me to put down any book for so long and still remember anything from it. So, this book must have made a big impression on my subconscious.
As is usual for the American editions, the cover animal is painted all wrong. Ruby the piglet is black and white, yes, but banded rather than spotted.
Personally, I think there should be a law about the covers of books having to match the text but that's just me. It does take my enjoyment of a book down a notch because I wonder how stupid the publishers take the readers to be.
Although I have cut back drastically on my pork consumption, I hope to one day stop it completely. I do admire pigs. They've managed to survive despite bad diets, cramped housing and people.
This was one of 13 Animal Ark books adapted for a UK television series of the same name. I haven't seen this episode, so I don't know how it compares to the book.
January 7, 2021
(LL)
This was a good story, but I didn’t like that they were so focused on whether the 100 pigs would be going to a slaughterhouse or going to a breeder. Both things aren’t great for the pig’s life so the characters being fine with the pigs going to the breeder shouldn’t be a big part of the story. They did provide some good education on pigs and the proper care for them, which was good as pigs do have a stigma around them, and this did a good job shutting that down.
This was a good story, but I didn’t like that they were so focused on whether the 100 pigs would be going to a slaughterhouse or going to a breeder. Both things aren’t great for the pig’s life so the characters being fine with the pigs going to the breeder shouldn’t be a big part of the story. They did provide some good education on pigs and the proper care for them, which was good as pigs do have a stigma around them, and this did a good job shutting that down.
July 15, 2021
The problem of Ruby the piglet is one that really could have been solved with the help of the local animal sanctuary, something I've refrained from mentioning until now because, so far, they've just about got away with it, but I was sure it would cause real problems sooner or later. It's been much mentioned and occasionally featured in previous books, but not this one, because it's much easier for the writer to pretend it doesn't exist!
Overall I thought that Jenny Oldfield, so far the most accomplished writer to receive 'special thanks', was a little bit off her game here at times, with some lazy plot contrivances and the basic plot being rather too similar to that of her much more successful Goat in the Garden. For me, Ruby has less character than most of the featured animals so far, but her young owner Brandon is well written and interesting, and his dynamic with his father makes for some compelling reading as the story approaches its climax.
Overall I thought that Jenny Oldfield, so far the most accomplished writer to receive 'special thanks', was a little bit off her game here at times, with some lazy plot contrivances and the basic plot being rather too similar to that of her much more successful Goat in the Garden. For me, Ruby has less character than most of the featured animals so far, but her young owner Brandon is well written and interesting, and his dynamic with his father makes for some compelling reading as the story approaches its climax.
December 28, 2021
All in all a nice story, with good characters, too. It was quite difficult to understand with the lots of people thrown in, and that it was taken for granted that we all remembered them. And the prose consists of bits and pieces, one sentence describing one character's movements, then the next one the other's. The dialogues are broken up into a string of dialogue-narrative-dialogue-narrative etc., which makes the text even more difficult to understand. A good editor would have made a 5* book out of this very easily.
July 12, 2017
I learned a bit more about pigs in this one. It is a good series for kids to find out more about animals and some vet care.
January 31, 2020
Very good 👍
July 25, 2021
Quick read, cute story of a piglet and a determined group of friends. And another from my misfit like of books read.
August 20, 2021
Someone wanted to keep a pig
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2022
It was such a lovely and amusing book! It was a joy to read! It’s always a pleasure to read the Animal Ark series! It is one of my favorites!
May 18, 2025
love the stories
too cute the pigs are
great adventures
too cute the pigs are
great adventures
June 21, 2025
Great story
December 30, 2015
In Piglet in a Playpen, Brandon Gill who lives at Graytops Farm was taking care of a runt piglet named Ruby. Then his father tells him that since she needs special care, Brandon has to get rid of her. Brandon hides her in an old playpen in the hay barn. Then the whole herd is threatened. Mandy, James, and Brandon with the help of Lydia have to help save all the pigs and piglets, including Ruby. Auryn 12 years old, 2015
November 9, 2012
Mandy and James help Brandon Gill raise a runt piglet named Ruby after Brandon's father tells him that they can't keep her.
Read
March 2, 2016I really enjoyed this whole series as a child. Back then I'd devour each of the books as soon as I could get my hands on them.
Read
August 7, 2011I was completely obsessed with this series of books when I was a child and my aim was to read every single book. They are a really good children's series.
Want to read
December 28, 2015Loved this series when I was younger. Still a huge animal lover and would like to read the rest of this series!
July 25, 2008
i think this book is really good
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews