The Christmas Pig

I signed up to lead in December the virtual YA book club I'm in, so I needed to pick a Christmas book. While searching for ideas, I found The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling and decided to go for it since I'm a huge Harry Potter fan but haven't read anything else by JK Rowling. The book description reads, "Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens -- DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life... even toys. And Jack’s newest toy--the Christmas Pig (DP’s replacement)--has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known."

This was such a good book. It got more and more engaging as the book went on, and by the end, I was crying (holding it together while a spectator at Emmeline's swim meet). I just loved the story and the overall feeling in the book of bravery and hope and love. The ending was just this perfect combination of heartbreaking and beautiful. Soon after finishing this book, I listened to a podcast by Kate DiCamillo that referenced this article she wrote about why children's books should be a little sad. I think this book is a great example of what she teaches in that article. Give The Christmas Pig a read this season!

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)