SPARKLE PIGS #3

Muffin the guinea pig and her frenetic, unfocused hutch-mate, Ziggy, return to the magical world of Piggie-Town to take part in a talent show.

The Sparkle Pigs send the pair tickets to the event through the carrot portal in their cage. Ziggy’s thrilled and wonders how she’ll choose which talent to showcase, but Muffin, believing she possesses no skills, is reluctant. Ziggy believes in her friend, though, and the two travel to Piggie-Town. As usual, both arrive automatically costumed: Muffin in a glamorous evening gown, Ziggy in top hat and tails—sparkling, of course. They head to the theater, made from a giant gourd and decorated with kale. Then Wiz Pig’s magic trick goes awry, transforming the audience into bunnies; turns out his magic wand is missing its sparkle. Teaming up to find it, Muffin, Ziggy, and Wiz Pig visit a magic castle constructed from vegetables. After answering a riddle, they’re let inside, where they find rooms of hats, capes, and popcorn. The opportunity to sing karaoke tempts Ziggy, the piggies finally put things right, and eventually, Muffin rises to the challenge of performing. Of course, “Everyone gets a ribbon!” The well-paced narrative is driven by inventive incidents, and the plot barrels happily to its conclusion. Some words and phrases may be unfamiliar. Frequent tonal vignettes and encouragement after every chapter (“You’ve read TWELVE chapters! You get a ribbon, too!”) make for a fun experience.

These piggies bring the sparkle once more.