Pippin is a cute little piglet with one ear that tends to flop over like a puppy’s. She lives in a barn with a donkey, a cow, a sheep, and a pigeon, all descendents of the animals who were in the stable in Bethlehem on the first Christmas. The animals brag about the superiority of their ancestors and the gifts they provided to the baby in the manger, while rejecting Pippin (and pigs in general) and her innocent questions about the meaning of Christmas. The soft-focus watercolor-and-pencil illustrations capture Pippin’s child-like expressions along with the scornful faces of the barnyard braggarts. When Pippin leaves and ventures out into the snow on Christmas Eve, she finds a young homeless woman struggling to carry a baby girl. Pippin brings them back to the barn, the baby falls asleep in the manger, and the animals all provide the same sort of comforting gifts once given by their ancestors, finally acknowledging Pippin and her important contribution. This gently told story shows insight into the feelings of one who feels small and insignificant, but who can still accomplish something special. (Picture book. 4-7)
