The Pigman

This book was actually recommended to me by one of my students. I have a few voracious readers who are constantly scanning the library shelves looking for new books to devour. Although most of my students who read enjoy reading contemporary young adult fiction, I try to encourage them to read titles that they may not typically pick up off of the shelf--and this was one of those titles. After reading the book overnight, my student practically forced it into my hand, encouraging me to read it.

"The Pigman,” written by Paul Zindel, is crafted to read as if it were a book that was written by the two main characters, John and Lorraine. John and Lorraine decide to write a book to chronicle their time with the Pigman, and share how their experiences with him impacted their lives. John and Lorraine, two rather unlikely friends, found themselves in the middle of a game of prank calling; the premise of this game was to see how long they could keep the other person on the line, but when Lorraine calls up Angelo Pignati and pretends to be a worker collecting money for a neighborhood charity, she begins to feel sorry for the man on the phone when he offers to make a very generous donation to the cause.

As John and Lorraine go to collect their “donation,” they realize that Mr. Pignati is actually a very lovable--albeit a little creepy--older man that seems as though he is just looking for human connection. As conversations deepen, John, Lorraine, and the Pigman (because of his ceramic pig collection) begin to develop a friendship. Cutting school to go to the zoo, buying roller skates, enjoying exotic snacks from the fanciest department store in town, and spending nights in the house watching tv are just a few of the things that brought these unlikely people together and turned them into a family.

John, who is constantly at odds with his father (the Bore) and his mother (the Old Lady), and constantly compared to his Wallstreet brother, has taken on the persona of the local “bad boy.” John likes to smoke and drink, and is usually involved in the general mischief that happens around town, but he also has dreams of becoming an actor--dreams that he knows his parents won’t take seriously. Lorraine, who grew up in a single-parent home, is always at odds with her overbearing, overprotective, overly critical mother, but she has found a friend and confidant in John--someone who accepts her for who she is and doesn’t force her to change her appearance, her hopes, or her dreams. While these two became rather unconventional friends, something more than friendship began to brew beneath the surface for each of them.

As John, Lorraine, and the Pigman spend more time together, and learn more about one another, they begin to realize that the world revolves around more than one person. Each of the characters finds what they seem to be missing, but before they can truly enjoy their newfound bliss they are forced into an unforgiving tragedy.

“The Pigman” expertly highlights the young adult experience and Zindel does an excellent job at writing flawed characters that have a truthful, realistic nature about them. After reading this book, I was thinking about the different people that I have experienced throughout my lifetime that are just like John, Lorraine, and the Pigman. This was a quick read, but it is one of those books that sits with you even after you’ve finished. In true YA fashion, this book tackles very adult concepts, but does it in a way that can speak to the adolescent experience.

If you are looking for a book full of shenanigans, tomfoolery, and a ton of heart, then I would highly recommend reading “The Pigman.” Be warned, this will tug on your heartstrings, but it will also make you think about those you hold dear.

4 out of 5 stars.