Pigs Have Wings by Kathleen Welton

Genre:  Children's Picture Book

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Available June 16 on Amazon

My husband would be the first to tell you that I love all things about pigs. I grew up on a farm 

raising pigs. I had a collection ofpig figurines, I have stuffed pigs.  So, when the opportunity to read and review this book came along I was all in.

This is an inspirational book. For any child who loves to do something, but has been told that they can't because of the way they look, walk, talk, etc., this is the book they need to read, or have read to them. 

Miz Peg is a short, chubby pig. she loves to dance and sing. She tries to jump and leap and always falls. She wishes she was like a bird and could  fly high.  Her friends always tell her that pigs can't fly, meaning that because she is short and chubby she can't sing and dance.. While walking in the woods she sees a couple of birds who encourage her. They tell her if she believes hard enough she can do anything. That little bit of belief in herself is all it takes to show her friends that she can sing and dance.  This is a lesson we need to teach all children young and old.  Awesome book that every parent and every teacher should read to their youngest child.

 

Student Saturday: Cold Hearted by Serena Valentino

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairytales

Student Reviewer: Jaiden W.  

In this captivating retelling, we are immersed in the life of Lady Tremaine, the iconic stepmother from the Cinderella story. Widowed and raising her two headstrong daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, alone, Lady Tremaine unexpectedly encounters Sir Richard, a dashing knight seeking a stepmother for his own young daughter. Their paths intertwine, leading to a marriage that takes Lady Tremaine to the shabby chateau of Cinderella and her father. However, all is not as it seems. Sir Richard harbors ulterior motives—he married Lady Tremaine solely for her fortune. Deep in debt, he expects her and her daughters to serve as cooks and cleaners. I recommend this book to anyone who knows the story of Cinderella and her wicked stepmother. This captivating retelling sheds light on the origins of her cruel treatment of Cinderella. I always loved the story of Cinderella so when I found this book I was instantly intrigued. 

Student Saturday: The Lost by Natasha Preston

 

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller/Mystery

Student Reviewer: Benjamin T.   

This book is about Piper and Hazel, two teenagers with Hazel having curly hair and usually being a strong person, and with Piper, the main character and which the point of view is from. Piper has dark hair and learns to become hard-minded and is the most rational out of them. Teens in their neighborhood have been going missing and everyone says that they are just runaway teens, as their area is small and there is a bigger city a bit far from there. One day, Piper and Hazel get kidnapped, and they are led to a big old building that was renovated and has a lot of doors and confusing pathways. It has 6 rooms for different physical and mental challenges. As well as other rooms for the group to stay in, with a bathroom and sleeping area. Room 0 puts two people up against each other and there is water, sound, temperature, sleep deprivation room etc. There are some other people there, Theo, Lucia, and Priya, who Theo has been in there the longest, tall, and calm while Lucia has just been put in for a few days and is short and blonde. She also has a temper. Priya is the one who comforts everyone and has been in there for a few weeks. The main antagonists are three people, Matt, Caleb, and Owen who love twisted games and seeing people suffer. They lure in people by trying to be their friends or showing interest. The story follows as Piper goes through the rooms and they plan to break out. Will they escape? What will happen in room 0? Will the three masterminds get caught? If i were in their situation, I would immediately try to create a plan to escape, instead of waiting a bit, but their plan was very thought out and is what I would’ve done in that situation.

Overall, I was not expecting anything from this book, but as I read it more, it became increasingly interesting to me. In all, I liked this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Mystery or psychological thrillers. The ending was surprising, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.