Title: The Pig War
Author: Emma Bland Smith
Genre: Juvenile Non-fiction
Did you know that a pig rooting for potatoes almost started a war? I didn't until I read The Pig War: How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share by Emma Bland Smith. In 1859, on a small island in the Pacific Northwest shared by the English and Americans, a British pig eats some American taters and it escalates into a military standoff. The story of the back and forth responses shows how a simple action can result in a greater conflict, but also demonstrates how cooler heads can prevail when things seem dire. This is a good lesson for those who are quick to anger and vindication for anyone who's willing to use mediation to solve a problem.
I enjoyed how the author proposed several reasons why each side behaved as they did, but still managed to show how that it didn't excuse such a sorry result. Every page has gorgeous color illustrations to move the story along. I highly recommend this new historical children's book.
- Sarah R.
Check out The Pig War by Emma Bland Smith @ the library!
