The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy Review
The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy, written by Linda Harkey and illustrated by Mike Minick, tells the story of a German Shepherd, Nini, who loses her favorite toy. Together with her brother, Lobo, she embarks on an outdoor adventure to find her pink piggy.
Lobo suspects that Speedy the pack rat stole the piggy, so the pups follow Speedy’s trail to search his den for evidence. When they arrive, Speedy admits he took the piggy, but left it outside when he was distracted by something shiny.
They join forces to find where Speedy left the pink piggy, when a snow tornado throws the piggy high into the air. Can they catch it before the piggy is lost forever?!
You’ll have to read it to find out!
This story was a hit with my daughter before we even cracked the cover because…dogs! Harkey didn’t disappoint either, as she perfectly captured the loving and crazy antics of German Shepherds in her writing. We found ourselves laughing and crying “awww!” in unison as we turned the pages.
I also really enjoyed the educational aspect of the book! Animal facts were woven throughout the story in a way that made them fun and memorable. This is one of those books where your kids will learn something new without ever realizing they’re learning.
Also, not to sound dramatic, but this book takes the cake and then some for post-story activities. (And I should know, I’ve reviewed a lot of children’s books!)
From tracing letters to drawing to role play to crossword puzzles to word searches and more, this book has something for everyone, at every age. It offers loads of great ways to continue the story with your children and connect with them through more one-on-one interaction.
Overall, this is a sweet and fun story that kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy. You can find The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy on Amazon.
The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy Author Interview
Want to learn more about author Linda Harkey? I did too! She was gracious enough to field a few questions and share what’s next for her!
Deb: The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy offers a fun and educational mystery when a German Shepherd’s favorite toy goes missing. What inspired you to write it?
Linda: My neighbors had two German Shepherd dogs that loved squeaky toys. I love to take simple ideas and develop them into a children’s story.
Deb: I actually learned a lot about pack rats that I didn’t know before reading this book! Do you feel your experience as a schoolteacher helps you to find the perfect balance between entertainment and education in your writing?
Linda: My experiences as a mother, teacher, volunteer docent, and hunting dog owner have inspired me to write animal stories for children. This gives me the balance between entertainment and education.
Everything is a story. I am a storyteller. I present humorous teachable tales to elementary school children on the lives of hunting dogs, other animals in nature, their habitats, and life lessons involving family, friendships, bravery, diversity, and problem solving. This is who I am.
Deb: Nini and Lobo share a lot of funny moments, from scaring their humans with their pink piggy to crashing into the doggy dog. Do you have any favorite funny moments with your own dogs?
Linda: Yes. The one I remember the most I call “The Deviled Egg Caper.”
My husband and I were feeding two of our dogs, Zeke, a German Shorthaired pointer, and Nassau, a black lab, deviled eggs in our kitchen. Both dogs loved them.
Alas, the last egg went to Nassau, which made Zeke jealous, so he jumped on Nassau and the fight began. Needless to say, my kitchen floor ended up with egg all over it.
Nassau required stitches on one of his floppy ears. Zeke was the winner of that confrontation. Both dogs spent the next few nights in the kennel instead of the house.
Deb: I listened to an interview of yours where you talked about how reading with your children offers an incredible way to connect with them. Do you have any tips for parents who want to make the most of the time they spend reading with their kids?
Linda: Books are more than stories. They are tools that help parents connect with children in meaningful ways – helping them raise readers.
In other words, books:
- Build bedtime rituals
- Encourage independent reading
- Spark family conversations at meals
I feel the two “C’s” that connect books to parents and children are:
- Connection – Books help parents connect with children when reading or discussing them.
- Curiosity – Books help children read more because they are curious about the story.
Deb: You’ve written a lot of other children’s books (12, to be exact!). Can you tell us what initially inspired you to start writing children’s books and what your journey has looked like over the years?
Linda: What initially inspired me to write children’s books was being a volunteer docent at two museums in Oklahoma, working with other docents to help develop curricula for children’s programs and giving countless presentations to children both at museums and local schools.
My husband and I had over 33 hunting dogs during the years, so I started out writing stories about them. My journey has taken me from writing about our dogs to branching out and writing stories about all types of animals. I emphasize life lessons with the animals, including friendship, family, diversity, bravery, honesty, and perseverance.
Deb: What’s your vision for the future of your writing? Do you have more books in the works? Or any upcoming projects you’re excited about?
Linda: I would like to keep writing children’s animal stories and go as far as I can – possibly to have one of my books made into a movie. I believe you set goals for yourself and try to achieve them.
Story Monsters LLC is going to publish my story The Curious Friendship of Patch and Barney. This story is about Patch, a German Shorthaired pointer and Barney, a skunk. They meet on a stormy day while Patch is hunting birds with her owner, the Great One. This story is filled with humor, adventure, action, and friendship.
Thanks so much for joining us today, Linda!
Want to hear an incredible audio version of this sweet story? Story Monsters has it!
You can pick up your own copy of The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy on Amazon!
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