The Pig Who Saved the World Book

The fate of the ancient Greek world is again in the hooves of a talking pig in this snortingly funny — and slyly informative — sequel to THE PIG SCROLLS.

After saving the Cosmos (and telling anyone who will listen all about it), Gryllus the Pig has decided it’s time to return to his human form. If only he could find Circe to reverse her curse! Along with friends Sibyl, the ex-priestess, and Homer, the teenage epic poet, Gryllus sets off on the high seas. But soon it’s clear that Gryllus’s transformation will have to wait — at least until he frees some captive gods and maybe even saves the world — again. Ripe with porcine-infused mythology and a sarcastic first-person — er — first-pig narrator, THE PIG WHO SAVED THE WORLD continues the heroic tale of Gryllus with prodigious spirit and oversize hilarity.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8 Gryllus, the ancient Greek sailor-turned-pig, and his companions Sibyl, a former priestess, and Homer, an adolescent poet, are in search of the sorceress Circe, who can restore Gryllus to his human form. However, Circe and the rest of the gods and goddesses have been captured by Sisyphus, who has escaped his eternal torment and is looking for revenge. It's up to Gryllus and his companions to rescue the gods and save the world again, following their previous adventures in The Pig Scrolls (Candlewick, 2005). Major and minor characters from Greek mythology aid or hinder Gryllus, including the Cyclops, King Midas and his daughter, and the talking head of Orpheus, the "greatest singer in the ancient world." Gryllus's narrative voice brings humor to the most desperate situations, though episodes like the Cyclops-flatulence contest speak for themselves. Gryllus's sarcasm and self-centered perspective are consistent, and readers will find him either entertaining or annoying. Familiarity with Greek mythology adds to the humor, but a glossary of Greek terms and characters is a useful addition. Readers who've outgrown Dan Greenburg's early chapter books may find the slightly gross humor here entertaining, but Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series (Hyperion/Miramax) offers a more contemporary and engaging take on Greek mythology.-Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI