SPARKLE PIGS #1

Two guinea pigs embark on an adventure.

Muffin loves her new hutch and her owners, twins Sophia and Jackson (who make only a brief appearance and aren’t physically described), but her stable world is rocked when she gets a roommate. Excitable, harebrained (“What came after four again?”) Ziggy chews the cage’s decorative carrot and, eager to play a game of pretend, jumps into the food dish—behavior that the straitlaced Muffin deems “unacceptable.” Soon they discover that the carrot opens onto the magical land of Piggie-Town. All the guinea pigs (referred to as Sparkle Pigs) here—Muffin and Ziggy included—are clad in different carrot costumes; Ziggy’s a disco carrot, while Muffin’s a detective carrot. Ziggy’s in hog heaven; the residents are as zany and fun-loving as she is. Muffin’s ready to go home, but when she discovers that one of the pigs is missing, she decides to solve the mystery. Eventually, she realizes that though she and Ziggy might have little in common, they can do anything with teamwork. The plot moves smartly along to an upbeat conclusion with a familiar but sweet message. The many tonal black-and-white illustrations play up the differences between the main characters. Lively, humorous writing, short chapters broken up by the art, and words of encouragement at each chapter’s end (“You’ve read TWELVE chapters! You are a super sparkly star!”) will spur readers on.

Funny and relatable, with two adorable protagonists whose joint quest shows the value of embracing differences.