Pickle the Pig by Brenden Bott (Book Review)

Do you have a favourite food? Now imagine that your favourite food is also the most famous food in town—and your grandpa holds the secret of how it was invented. A secret that involves your great-great-grandmother … and a perilous pig.

In Pickle the Pig, we meet Emily—a girl who has a peculiar obsession with bacon-wrapped pickle bites. In this hilarious tale, we uncover the outrageous story of how these tasty treats came to be. It’s a delightful mix of disaster, suspense, and plenty of humour—perfect for the whole family!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Everyone has a favorite food, and for Emily, it was a giant pickle wrapped in bacon. A weird combo food choice, but in their young mind, it was a delicious invention. Emily was curious how the town’s famous delicacy came to be, and her grandfather had the inside scoop. Oh, what a wild, strange, and humorous tale the grandfather shares, and it starts with a pig who craves pickles all the time.

Pickle the Pig loves to gobble up pickles, day and night. His hearty appetite doesn’t sit well with the townspeople, though, but they have bigger problems at the moment. A drought had struck the small town, then a tornado. Thankfully, the townspeople took refuge, and no one perished. The pickle-loving pig came out unscathed, too, but his girth was his salvation. Yup, the very, very round pig was too heavy for even a tornado to pick up. That tidbit, and its corresponding illustrations, made me smile. What came after the twister is a mind-bender but a chuckle inducer: food rains down from the sky, but how? The answer was unexpected and hilarious. Kids and adults will find themselves scratching their heads and laughing out loud.

Pickle the Pig was an enormous porker that greatly irritated the town; however, the community’s annoyed looks turned to smiles for one reason only. That reason will be unveiled once you read the story, and this is a book you’ll want to share with your family or class. The illustrations were extremely amusing (credited artist: Dong Hoon Kim), and the plot’s resolution was wonderfully ridiculous. I can’t wait to read more comedic stories by the imaginative author, and after you read the story, you’ll become instant fans of Brenden Bott, like me.

Amazon recommends this Pickle the Pig for ages three and up. I agree with this recommendation.

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤

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Meet the Author

Brenden has worked in the field of education for over a decade, and he is more convinced than ever of the importance of telling stories to shape hearts and minds. Brenden is currently the Head of School at Westminster Classical Christian Academy in Toronto. He has a doctorate in theology from Wycliffe College, the University of Toronto, specializing in medieval and Reformation thought and theodicy.

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Meet the Illustrator

Dong Hoon began his career as a mechanical engineer but left this behind to become an artist. With over twenty years of experience, Dong Hoon has established himself as an unusually talented illustrator with a unique ability to add humour to his artistic creations.

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Happy Holidays

The holidays are a stressful and anxiety-filled time of year. In the U.S., our stress/anxiety levels are reaching new highs as we watch the administration sink to new lows.

 

My advice to the POTUS and the MAGA followers…

 

To everyone reading this notice…

 

AND

 

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Fort Night by Jimmy Vee (Book Spotlight)

From best-selling author Jimmy Vee comes a story about imagination, ingenuity, and the magic of making your own fun—because sometimes Plan B is better.

Every night, Hugo sleeps in his very own bed in his very own room. But tonight? Hugo has a bigger idea. He wants to sleep in his very own fort—in the room with the very big TV—and have a night filled with action, adventure, fun, and frights!

Armed with his Jumbo Book of Fort Building, a pile of pillows, and his fuzzy friend Joe, Hugo sets out to build the ultimate blanket fort. He stacks, balances, and engineers with big dreams and even bigger determination. But when his creations keep collapsing, Hugo learns that sometimes the best plans aren’t the biggest—they’re the simplest.

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Read My Review on Reedsy Discovery!

 

 

 

Meet the Author

Jimmy was a creative kid who was always building, tinkering, and rigging up something around the house. These days, his kids say he just makes stuff up for a living—they’re right. As the owner of a creative marketing agency, Jimmy really does “make stuff up all day” for businesses and entrepreneurs.

 

 

 

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The Great Canadian Beaver Tales Series (featuring Bruno!): Tale 1. The Newfoundland Dam by Lizzy McNeilly (Book Spotlight)

Bruno has a big idea — maybe too big!

He’s going to build the greatest dam in history — one that connects Newfoundland to Labrador! With his cousin Netty and a team of hardworking beavers, Bruno’s plan seems unstoppable. But when Premier Gilberti shows up and chaos rolls in (literally!), Bruno’s dream turns into a hilarious disaster.

Can Bruno fix the mess he’s made, or will his big idea wash away for good?

Full of laughter, friendship, and East Coast spirit, The Newfoundland Dam! kicks off Bruno’s journey across Canada — where every big dream begins with a splash!

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Sample Pages
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author

Elizabeth McNeilly, PhD, lived in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta as a child and teen. Although she has always loved Canada, it was when she moved away that she truly grew to appreciate her home. This was when the idea of Bruno was born! Lizzy taught elementary and secondary English language arts for 14 years in the Baltimore, Maryland region before moving back home to Canada again. She now spends her time writing, teaching at the universities in Calgary, and hanging out with family, her partner Jan, her cat, Muriel, and two dogs, Yogi and Kaya.

 
 
 
 
 

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Let’s Look, Not Touch by Kateryna Dronova (Book Review)

Wherever Mom and her boy go—beach, park, or brook—the curious child loves to stop and look. From frogs that leap to turtles that clutch, Mom always smiles and says, “Let’s Look, Not Touch.”

But when a birthday surprise pops up just right, will Mom’s rule change on this special night?

Let’s Look, Not Touch is a rhythmic read-aloud picture book for kids that celebrates a child’s curiosity, teaches respect for wildlife, and shares the gentle lessons of patience and care. With its repetitive refrain and heartwarming message, this book makes learning about nature and animals an adventure—and builds a love of wildlife that lasts a lifetime.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Kids are inquisitive, and how they learn about the world changes over time. Babies and toddlers explore through touch. Their brain sends a signal instructing them to touch and feel everything. While some objects are safe to touch, others are not. Let’s Look, Not Touch is a rhythmic story that follows a mom and her little boy as they explore different locations, discovering new friends in nature, and learning to observe without touching. The beautiful story teaches young kids to respect nature and be kind to all living things, important lessons to begin learning at a young age.

Join the mom and son as they observe a starfish that has washed up on the beach. Teach kids to be mindful of snakes and spiders, especially when you don’t know whether they are poisonous. Take this engaging book to the park and feed the birds like the characters do in the story. Reminding kids to follow the book’s mantra: “Let’s look, not touch.” Listen to the frogs’ croak and watch as fireflies light up the night sky. Again, helping kids remember these four words: “Let’s look, not touch.” There is so much more to see and explore in this wonderful tale. The mom prompts the child to keep their hands away from certain animals and bugs, but there’s one animal the mom says yes they can touch. Read the story to find out what it is!

Kids do learn by touching objects, but they also learn through repetition. Repeating “Let’s look, not touch” in daily routines reinforces understanding of what is safe to touch and what should only be observed. I recommend sharing Let’s Look, Not Touch with your baby and/or toddler, especially before heading outside, to help instill respectful exploration habits early on. It’s beautifully written and illustrated. I even found the spider cute, and that is an amazing, artistic feat! My only small change, in the overall great story, would be the presentation of text. Placing the text on a solid color or less busy section of each page would make the words pop more. It was still a great read, though, and deserves four stars!

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

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Meet the Author

Kateryna Dronova is a children’s writer who loves turning imagination into playful and heartfelt stories. Growing up surrounded by rich traditions and storytelling, she draws inspiration for her tales that nurture curiosity, courage, and kindness in young readers. Kateryna believes books can spark magic in every child—and she writes to share that wonder.


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