Title: The Adventures of Maxine
Subtitle: The Little Pig Who Thinks She’s a Dog
Author: Lee Dunstan
Publisher: XlibrisNZ
ISBN: 978-1-5144-6684-1
Pages: 26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Farm Animals
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Pigs hold a special place in people’s hearts, within the hierarchy of farm animals, and of course in children’s literature. From Porky the Pig to Babe, and let’s not forget the 3 Little Pigs in their homes, pigs bring joy and love into children’s storytelling adventures. Yet none quite have the personification of the little black pig named Maxine, who feels “I’m just like them…” when it comes to hanging around the farm animals, especially the dogs Boss, Bob, Tank, Shade and Wiley.
As a little pig, Maxine instantly fits into the lifestyle of being an obedient farm animal; riding on the motorbike out to the barn to milk the cows in the arms of the farmer’s wife, then partaking in a bit of warm milk next to the dogs as a reward. Maxine would enjoy going to the river with the family after school for a swim along with the children and family dogs. After all, she felt, “I’m just like them…” not realizing she will grow to be bigger. So when she did age up and grew too large for sleeping with the dogs or on the couch in the living room of the farmhouse, she was asked to go to the paddock and sleep with Blitzen the deer.
The beautiful illustrations bring the storyline into clarity, as children reading or being read this story will ponder the thought patterns of Maxine and empathize with her feelings of fitting in with the other farm animals. In a kind and lulling way, author Lee Dunstan brings the “family togetherness” of the animals which include cows, goats, horses, cats and of course dogs, all in a place of mutual respect. Most of the animals have quite humorous names; among them Muggins for a cat, Snowy for a goat and Topsy for a cow.
All in all, The Adventures of Maxine will stand out as being a first-choice book kids will want to read, especially at bedtime. As the last illustration of the book reveals, the family of animals all being present in a way is as if they are taking a bow at the end of a play, Maxine dozes off to dreamland. So will the readers of this marvelous story about Maxine, The Little Pig Who Thinks She’s a Dog.
