Porkelia

PreS-Gr 1—A plump, pink pig triumphantly lives out her desire for fame. She believes her future as a famous dancer is confirmed by the local soothsayer's crystal ball, while the other pigs try to convince her that the Wise One is a fake. Porkelia determinedly packs a bag, dons her gold dancing suit and a pair of red tap shoes, and heads for New York City. To fulfill her dream of being the first "piggy Rockette," She has to overcome years of undesirable living conditions and her dreary emotional state: "As the sign out the window/flashed Earl's Bar & Grill,/Porkelia grew homesick/for cornhusks and swill." One afternoon, while selling blenders to make ends meet, she is approached by an agent who had witnessed her dancing talent the night before, and her career finally takes off. From tabloids, appearances on Shopping TV, and the opening of 10 dance studios, Porkelia experiences all the glory and tackiness that accompany stardom. Engaging cartoon illustrations, predominantly in gold, pink, and brown, as well as the rhyming couplets, are set off by frames in heavy black line. The message in this small picture book: Dream big and believe in yourself.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI