The Christmas Pig
Author: J.K. Rawling
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Genre: Children’s Fiction, Christmas
Year of Release: 2021
Release date 12/10/21
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis
One boy and his toy are about to change everything…
Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve, something terrible happens – DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life… even toys. And Jack’s newest toy – the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) – has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost and to save the best friend Jack has ever known…
Review
Jack and Dur Pig are inseparable, the pair making sure to never leave the others side; DP getting berried at the beach one time was hard enough on them both. DP isn’t just there for the fun times he is there for when Jack needs a cuddle or is feeling sad.
DP is the best toy pig a boy could ask for, Christmas Eve arrives, and DP is lost but lucky for Jack Christmas Eve isn’t just the night Santa Clause makes his big trip it’s the night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things come to life even toys get bought to life.
Unfortunately, Christmas Pig Jack’s new toy an unwanted replacement for beloved DP is also awake, as annoying as he is Christmas Pig has a bold plan to bring DP home where he belongs; the journey will take Jack and Christmas Pig far and wide they’ll discover not everyone believes in the magic of Christmas.
I have always loved the magic that surrounds Christmas so when I discovered that J.K. Rawling wrote a book around the season I was thrilled, when I found out a toy pig was at its centre, I needed no convincing as I always wanted my toys to come to life in my younger years.
“He never understood it’s not your cost
That matters in the kingdom of the Lost,
But whether you once touched a human heart,
And how it hurt them when you had to part.”
― J.K. Rowling, The Christmas Pig
Whenever Rawling puts pen to paper she is able to bring to life characters that are three dimensional that any reader of any age can appreciate and eventually care about long after the book is finished. I believe DP Pig is going to spark joy and delight any reader young or old.
The Christmas Pig is written for a younger audience 8 to 10 years and Rawling has paced the plot perfectly for this audience as only she can, I can see myself at that age curled up with this tale until the book ends but never wanting it to finish and always wanting more; Rowling has mastered the art of leaving readers wanting more in her book’s past and present.
The author like her character-building skills has once again used her brilliant imagination to bring to life The Land of the Lost, disposable and Bother- it’s- gone are just some of the worlds she brilliantly crafted, thanks to her skilled writing these lands come to life we discover where the things we lose go. One of the most memorable things about The Christmas Pig for this reader was the skill she used to touch upon family issues, grief, loss, separation and love. I think these topics are important to approach.
“Losing is part of living. But some of us live even though we’re lost. That’s what love does” -DP”
― J.K. Rowling, The Christmas Pig
The closer I got to the end of this book the more I found myself racing to the end to discover the outcome, I was so pleased to say I couldn’t guess the plot to soon before the story ran out. The Christmas Pig was the most enchanting story I read in 2021
Once I closed the book I was left with a great sense of friendship and hope. I highly recommend this book to readers young and old; I hope this magical book finds it’s way into the hands of many this Christmas and many more to come.
With continued thanks to Hachette Australia for sending this copy to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.
