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A Day No Pigs Would Die
A Day No Pigs Would Die
Author: Robert Newton Peck
This autobiographical novel which evokes scenes of by-gone times is about the author, just turning 13, living on a farm in Vermont has become a celebrated classic, captivating readers year after year with its quiet humor and poignant drama. It is the timeless story of one Shaker boy, his beloved pet pig, and the joys and hardships that mark his ...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780440920830
ISBN-10: 0440920833
Publication Date: 1/1990
Pages: 139
Reading Level: Young Adult
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 27

3.9 stars, based on 27 ratings
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on
Helpful Score: 3
A well-written story, yes, but I detested it because of the ending, which I only wish I could forget. I would never read the book again, as it adds nothing to my knowledge, my inner peace and happiness, or my hopes for mankind. IMHO, there is enough misery in the world without young people having their noses being rubbed in it in the name of growing up and of being realistic.
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on
Helpful Score: 2
I hated this book. To me, it is an example of one modern approach to children's books that finds value in depicting ugly and cruel things in the name of realism. True to some people's lives, it may be, but the ending, which I presume the author and some others consider to be a fine resolution, made me almost sick. I read the book too long ago to recall many details, but whenever I see it mentioned, I feel sadness, anger, and disdain.
rockmom66 avatar reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Oh you know whats going to happen a few pages in, but think maybe not! I love books about families struggling to get by, but they never see it as struggling. My 15 yr old daughter also read this, and really enjoyed it.
cincinnatiyankee avatar reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This simply-written Young Adult story is a good read for any age. The first person perspective puts the reader inside the mind of a 12-year-old boy growing up on a Vermont farm. The matter-of-fact transparency of the narration portrays innocence, humor, and the character's journey from boy to responsible "grown-up."
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 23 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I first read this book back when I was in the seventh grade for an English assignment. I really enjoyed it! I cried in the end. It was very touching. Then many years later, in my twenties, I thought of this book. I remembered I had like it, but couldn't really remember what happened so I went out, bought it, and reread it. I still found it enjoyable. A good book for young adults and up.
Read All 16 Book Reviews of "A Day No Pigs Would Die"

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reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on
As they say "life ain't fair" and this book proves it. Or does it? Young Rob learns at a very young age that life, no matter how ufair, is still life. Things grow, things die and most of the time we don't get to say how or where. I read this book at least once a year. In a way it puts life into perspective for me. Don't take anything for granted no matter how small or meaningless it seems. Especially a flutter-wheel.
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on
A novel about a boyhood on a vermont farm, thye love between a father and son, and a coming to manhood, that is the most loving book.
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 23 more book reviews
A good story, but sad! I read it in two days!
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 55 more book reviews
If you like Charlotte's Web, you'll love this classic.
DameEdna avatar reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 149 more book reviews
From AudioFile
It's a delicate business to present a character who speaks in dialect, and Terry Bregy does a craggy and credible job as Robert's stern but loving Vermont Shaker father. Robert himself is presented with two separate voices. The first speaker is the man reliving the time during which he came to understand the joy and sorrow of life; the second is the boy who is the only surviving son of a dying father. Bregy is able to convey a sense of age and experience as well as a sense of innocence. His reading draws the listener into the continuing debate about traditional values. This is very good recording of a powerful book. L.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review
Reading this book is like sipping hot cider in front of a crackling potbellied stove. Every page is suffused with wit and charm and glowing with warmth.Newsweek
A lovely book. . . . Honest, moving, homely in the warm and simple sense of the word. . . . It is small, accepting and loving and it succeeds perfectly.Boston Globe
Youll find yourself caught up in the novels emotion from the very opening scene. . . . Love suffuses every page.The New York Times
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 13 more book reviews
This is a classic, written by Robert Newton Peck. The back of the book explains it quite well: "It is a timeless story of a Shaker boy, his beloved pet pig, and the joys and hardships that mark his passage into manhood."
twinsmom98 avatar reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on
This was a great story to listen to with my 13 year old.
reviewed A Day No Pigs Would Die on + 260 more book reviews
The novel about a boyhood on a Vermont farm, the love between a father and a son, and a coming to manhood, that is the most moving book of the year...


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