The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig

March 31, 2003
Elements of mystery and legend enliven Martin's (Snowflake Bentley)
gracefully told tale about a family's unusual knack for finding precious things, including sources of water. Though no one is sure how the process works, Isabel's grandfather uses a divining rod to locate the best places to dig for water. He has met with great success on water-finding missions, often accompanied by his best friend—a porcine pet called the Pig of the Pig That Went Around Cape Horn, a descendant of the pig that sailed with Grandfather in his long-ago seafaring days. But when the Pig of the Pig goes missing, Isabel discovers she and her Grandfather have something special in common. Martin elegantly unfurls a story filled with memorable characters and colorful details, as well as comforting images of loyalty and familial ties. Wingerter's (One Riddle, One Answer) lushly textured acrylic paintings set an almost timeless mood, striking a balance between folk art and nods to some of the American masters. Swirling brushstrokes create a textured hayfield that recalls Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World,
and an image of apple trees stretching to the horizon may put readers in mind of Johnny Appleseed's contributions to Americana. This little piggy will likely be a storytime favorite. Ages 4-8.

Isabel's grandfather has the water gift--with a Y-shaped stick, he can tell those who need wells dug where the water lies under their land. Isabel and her friend Pig keep grandfather company on his dowsing jobs until they encounter a run of bad luck--her grandfather appears to lose his gift, and Isabel loses her pig. Jenny Ikeda narrates this production, and her engaging, youthful voice is a good fit since young Isabel narrates the story. Ikeda not only brings alive the voices of the different characters (including Isabel's grandparents and her mean neighbor), she also makes the most of the interesting language of the story, which is dense and reads almost like a prose poem. Listeners will enjoy this story about the power of determination and believing in things you can't always explain. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine