Saucy

(Hardback)

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Description

From Newbery Medalist and National Book Awardwinning author Cynthia Kadohata comes an irrepressible and heartwarming story about a girl and her ever-growing pig, Saucyperfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan and Flora & Ulysses!

Being a quadruplet can make it hard to stand out from the crowd. Beccas three brothers all have something that makes them...them. Jake has his music and dancing, Jammer plays hockey, and K.C. thinks theyre all living in a simulation and doesnt see the point of doing much of anything. Becca is the only one with nothing to make her special.

But when she finds a tiny, sick piglet on the side of the road, Becca knows this is it. This is her thing. She names the piglet Saucy and between her own pleading and Saucys sweet, pink face, Becca convinces her family to take her in. Soon, Saucy is as big a part of the family as anyone elseand getting bigger. With each pound Saucy gains, the more capable she becomes of destroying the house and landing Becca in trouble.

Some tough decisions need to be made about Beccas pet, and her search for solutions brings to light exactly where Saucy came from. Turns out, there are a lot more scared piglets out there, and saving them may take Becca and her brothers finally doing something together.

Reviews

"A lively, heartwarming family story." -- Kirkus, starred review
*"Readers will love the zany antics brought on by raising a pig, but what makes this a must-read is Becca and her family, with all their love, flaws, and compassion." -- School Library Journal, starred review
"Fresh and funny... [B]eautifully encapsulate lessons in friendship, love, and the joy of family." -- Booklist
"This book will appeal to anyone who thinks baby pigs are adorable. Teachers and school librarians will want to add this title to their collections." -- School Library Connection * November-December 2020 *
"Funny, lively story" -- Horn Book Magazine * January/February 2021 *
"Becca and Saucy are the entertaining, delightful heart of this story. Kadohatarealistically portrays Beccas growthand her journey to loving herself and Saucy" -- Publishers Weekly *STARRED* * November 16, 2020 *
"Saucyis a tender and sweet middle grade novel with a heavy dash of slapstick comedy sure to give it strong appeal for younger middle grade readers." -- BookPage * October 10, 2020 *
"Raskins illustrations provide images of familial love and pig appeal that animal lovers will enjoy." -- BCCB * October 1, 2020 *

Author Bio

Cynthia Kadohata is the author of the Newbery Medalwinning bookKira-Kira,the National Book Award winnerThe Thing About Luck, the Jane Addams Peace Award and PEN America Award winnerWeedflower,Cracker!,Outside Beauty,A Million Shades of Gray,Half a World Away,Checked,APlace to Belong, Saucy, and several critically acclaimed adult novels, includingThe Floating World. She lives with her dogs and hockey-playing son in California. Visit her online at CynthiaKadohata.com.

Marianna Raskin has always been fond of pigs and especially loves drawing them, so she obviously couldnt resist Saucy! When shes not illustrating naughty piglets, Marianna illustrates other books, like Florians Secret by Chava Nissimov, and works as an acclaimed animator in Israel. See more of her work at MariannaRaskin.com.