PIGS CAN'T LOOK UP

A whimsical yet poignant tweet by actor D’Onofrio that went viral in 2019 is the basis for this picture book.

Fact: Pigs can’t look up at the sky. Their neck muscles and spines are built such that their head movements are limited, though they can look up to an extent—e.g., if their heads are tilted. This reality lies at the heart of this minimally worded book in which a brown-skinned girl rigs up a contraption to lift her beloved pet pig, enabling it to see the stars. Girl and pig even become constellations. The girl declares she wants to be treated “that kindly and see the stars for the first time.” We get a sense she means more than literally viewing stars. This is confirmed by the author’s note, in which D’Onofrio talks about “small acts of kindness” and acknowledges people who helped him “broaden my narrow view of what I might be capable of.” He asks: “How do we look beyond ourselves? This girl and this pig only had to look up.” What he and this gentle, thought-provoking book suggest is that we become “stars” if we look around us and notice others who might need us. Adults sharing this book should solicit such ideas from children—as well as additional ways to get pigs to look up. Cunningham’s delicate illustrations are moving and lovely. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A tender tale with a reminder to look up and all around us.