Kids into books: Boxer

Author: Ian Charlton

Illustrator: Trish Powers

Publisher: Malinson Readers $ 11.95

Age Group: 6-10 years


I hear the front door to the house open, and a moment later Mum and Charlie come running.

'You all right, Dorothy?' Mum asks as she kneels beside me. (Mum's the only one who calls me Dorothy. Everyone else calls me Dot for short.)

'That pig knocked me down.'

She helps me up.

'He's too strong, Mum. Too big.'

Dad comes over. 'Gone on the rampage again, has he? Made a mess of things this time.'

'He broke my sunflowers,' Mum groans.

'And the sweetcorn too,' Charlie mutters.

Dad gets a rope and slips it around Boxer's neck. Then he leads him back to his pen on the other side of the yard and puts him in it.

Boxer always seems to know when he can win or not. Against me he's stronger and wins. But against Dad he knows he can't win, so he never even tries to fight.

And I thought pigs were meant to be dumb!