The Adventures of a South Pole Pig: A novel of snow and courage

Author: Chris Kurtz

Edition: 1St Edition

Number Of Pages: 288

Details:

Flora the pig was born for adventure: “If it’s unexplored and needs to get dug up, call me. I’m your pig,” she says. The day Flora spots a team of sled dogs is the day she sets her heart on becoming a sled pig. Before she knows it, she’s on board a ship to Antarctica for the most exhilarating—and dangerous—adventure of her life. This poignant novel of a purposeful pig is sure to become a favorite with any young readers who have ever dreamed of exploring the great beyond. From School Library Journal K-Gr 4–Her name is Flora, and she's a pig. She's curious and longs to explore beyond the perimeters of the pigpen. She dreams of going to Antarctica with the sled dogs on the farm and becoming a sled pig. When she is put in a crate onboard a ship, she sees the expedition as an opportunity while the crew views her as potential pork chops. Then they are shipwrecked and readers will root for spunky Flora as she discovers just how brave and needed she can be. Simple black-line drawings add a welcoming charm. Told in the voice of a seasoned storyteller, this novel has chapters that will work perfectly for sharing aloud with younger children or as a read-alone for more competent readers. Flora will encourage every listener to dream of being their best self. Move over Wilbur and Babe, there's a new pig in town.–Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diegoα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. From Booklist Even as a piglet, plucky Flora knows that her destiny lies outside the pen. After watching sled dogs training, she dreams of joining a sled team. In this satisfying chapter book, one wildly improbable (but somehow convincing) event leads to another. Taken aboard a ship for some mysterious purpose, Flora befriends Oscar the sled dog and Aleric the cabin boy. She and Sophia the cat team up to kill off their common enemy: rats. Shipwrecked off Antarctica, Flora saves the captain’s life (and her own bacon), but starvation looms and the crew’s survival depends on an unlikely sled team: Flora, Oscar, Aleric, and Sophia. Reinhardt’s spirited drawings, shaded with crosshatching, add considerably to the book’s charm. Described as a teacher and a storyteller, Kurtz shows a good sense of pacing in his first novel. There’s humor as well as heart, grit as well as tenderness, in the telling of this Antarctic adventure tale. Recommended for reading aloud. Grades 3-6. --Carolyn Phelan

Reviews:

"It will greatly satisfy fans of Dick King-Smith and E.B. White looking for something similar . . . Engaging fantasy adventure for preteen pig pals."

— Kirkus

"An upbeat and lively story."

— Publishers Weekly"There's humor as well as heart, grit as well as tenderness in the telling of this Antarctic adventure tale."

— Booklist"Loyalty, courage, and optimism are important ideas, and newcomer Kurtz brings us a rollicking story filled with all three."

—Horn Book, starred review"Told in the voice of a seasoned storyteller, this novel has chapters that will work perfectly for sharing aloud with younger children or as a read-alone for more competent readers. . . . Move over Wilbur and Babe, there's a new pig in town." —School Library Journal, starred review

About the Author:

Chris Kurtz is a talented teacher, storyteller, and writer. In addition to The Adentures of a South Pole Pig, he wrote the middle-grade novel  The Pup Who Cried Wolf and has co-written picture books with his sister Jane Kurtz. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his family. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Chapter 1 Mama, why do we have to live in a cage?” Flora dug in the dirt at something hard and rusty. “Honey, don’t do that.” Her mother nosed heraway. “And it’s not a cage. It’s a pigpen.” “Same thing,” said Flora under her breath.   How unlucky she was—born with adventurous hooves that were stu...

EAN: 9780547634555

Release Date: 08-01-2013

Languages: English

Item Note: Good shape with typical wear. Has a remainder mark. Hardcover Used - Very Good Ships fast! 20131St Edition

Item Condition: UsedVeryGood

Binding: Hardcover