Swine Not?: A Novel Pig Tale

Jimmy Buffett
Little, Brown and Company (2008)
ISBN 9780316114028
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (6/08) 


Rumpy is not your everyday pig. Besides being very opinionated and extremely eloquent, Rumpy is an outstanding goalie, and a teammate of Barley, who lives and breathes soccer. The two narrators share their living space with Ellie, Barley’s divorced mom, soccer coach and an accomplished chef; and Maple, Barley’s twin sister, the fashion savvy and nearly genius designer at the ripe old age of 12. Syrup the Cat completes the happy family, not saying much but being always there. At the beginning of the story the four of them are living in Tennessee, while the Dad is presently in Alaska, doing a dog commercial and working on his sixty-seventh screenplay. Dad did sell his first script many years ago, but not a single one since then; and his appearances in the children’s lives are few and far apart.  The four family members lead a rather quiet life until Ellie decides to take a job in a fancy four-star hotel in New York City and move the entire family there.

This is where the real fun starts. The hotel’s policy prohibits Exotic Pets on the premises, so Rumpy has to go into hiding. She does not take to this too kindly, missing her outings, the soccer games and the chance to possibly find her brother Lukie, whom she believes lives in New York City as well. To make matters worse, it seems that Ellie’s boss, the despicable Boucher, is suspicious and has set his sights on finding Rumpy and transforming her into a dinner or two for himself. This is how a series of hilarious events is set in motion, with escapades ranking from silly to daring, and narrated by either Rumpy or Barley.

“Swine Not?” by Jimmy Buffett is based on the true story of a friend who actually did have a pig while living in Manhattan.  This heartwarming tale of an adventurous pig, a bunch of tough New York pigeons and some more-or-less clueless humans will bring lots of smiles and many a chuckle to readers of all ages. Illustrations and photographs by Helen Bransford, Jimmy Buffett’s friend who brought him her original pot-bellied pig story, complete the charming, if sometimes slightly lightweight tale. Silly enough for children, zany enough for the adults who admit to still having a child deep within, this book is nice summer reading for anybody who’s not in the mood for something overly challenging and deep.

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