2020
WISE Score
Amazon
A charming showdown between a literal-minded boy and a poetic girl that proves metaphors are way cooler than boring facts.
4.8
4.8View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
This is the opposite of brain rot. It’s a short, punchy, and genuinely funny chapter book that actually gives kids something to think about regarding how they treat people who see the world differently.
DiCamillo has a way of making simple stories feel significant. It’s high-quality literature disguised as a silly story about a pig and a poem. If you're looking for something to read together at bedtime that won't make you want to pull your hair out from boredom, this is a winner.
Ideal for the 6 to 9 crowd. It’s part of the Deckawoo Drive series, so if they’ve met Mercy Watson the pig, they’re already in.
It’s a Kate DiCamillo book, so it’s basically the gold standard for emotional health. It handles peer conflict with actual nuance rather than just 'everyone be nice' platitudes.
The entire plot hinges on the power of metaphor and seeing the world as more than just literal facts. It encourages kids to think outside the 'truth' of what they see right in front of them.
Completely safe. The biggest 'danger' is two kids getting accidentally locked in a school closet, and even that is used as a moment for character bonding rather than scares.
It manages to teach second-graders about metaphors and the subjectivity of art without being a boring textbook. It builds empathy for different personality types—the dreamer vs. the literalist.
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