The Misadventures of Sweetie Pie by Chris Van Allsburg

I read everything by Chris Van Allsburg. I love his work. His writings are brilliant and insightful, curious and touchable. He is a literary rockstar to me.  I stumbled across The  Misadventures of Sweetie Pie last weekend at the library. Laughing out loud in delight at seeing the author, I added the book to my growing stack. SA-WEET!!

The book frames the life of Sweetie Pie the guinea pig through the animals' eyes. The pig experiences a wide range of loving gestures from young people, all well intended but not always well-acted upon. Van Allsburgs' drawings offer a unique window in through the eyes of the guinea pig, a perfect perspective that allows readers to consider what life might be like for a small animal cared for by a number of school-aged folks. The ending is a surprise and I had to read the book a couple of times to make sure I got it. That trait is typical Van Allsburg for sure.

A fun and engaging read, check out Sweetie Pie!