A Pig and A Poke

A Pig And A Poke by Tricia Gardella

4 stars

As the spectators watched and the other kids ran through the mud chasing the pig, Angela stood back trying to figure out how she could catch the pig. Even when her nemesis, Bruce, taunted her, Angela knew she wanted to catch this pig. She watched other kids cry because they had gotten hurt and then they all left because they were tired of trying. The only two left was her and Bruce. He taunted her once more until Angela had had enough and she dove for the pig. She was surprised when she caught it! She held on for dear life – even when Bruce tried to pull the pig away from her. She held on as the pig raced around the stall. Finally, time was up and Angela had managed to keep her grip on the pig. Her fight with the pig left its mark in the form of a black eye, but she was happy and smiling because she had won.

This was a cute story that showed determination and perseverance with Angela’s attempts to win the pig. She experienced bullying from Bruce but she kept trying and didn’t let his teasing stop her. She suffered bumps and bruises while the pig dragged her around, but she kept going until the end. The illustrations were so colorful and let you see the story unfold as the contest continued. I was cheering for Angela!