Paulina: The Story of An Almost Unlucky Pig

Somewhere in the countryside in the 1960s, a girl and a pig meet. The pig, who appears to have no home, is taken in by the girl who names her Paulina. The girl’s parents are hesitant and tell her they should look for Paulina’s owner, but, in the meantime, the two become fast friends, sharing meals and playing together. Their friendship threatens to be disrupted when Paulina’s owner shows up, wanting her back. The girl, not wishing to say goodbye to her friend, takes Paulina and runs away. On their journey, they come across other animals who cheer them on. While the girl and pig make a new home in a cave because it is a favourite hiding spot, they are quickly discovered. It is okay though because the parents (and presumably Paulina’s owner) have decided Paulina can stay after all.

The text of Paulina: The Story of An Almost Unlucky Pig is accompanied by black and white photographs from the 1960s which feature rural scenes of the girl and the pig. The photographs are charming and fun to look at, particularly the girl’s retro outfits and toys, and they situate the story in a very particular time and place. However, the photographs have no context. Did the photos come before the story? Were they taken specifically for this book? Who is this young child, and what is the real story with her and the pig? Regardless, the photographs allow readers to picture themselves in the child’s place and add originality to what is an otherwise unoriginal narrative. From the beginning, it is easy to see where this story will go, though this lack of uniqueness is comforting in its predictability.

The text is written from the first-person perspective of the child. In the photographs, the child appears to be toddler-age, and the language, whether this is her inner voice or not, seems too sophisticated for someone so young. Otherwise, the language is straightforward, and the black text on a plain white background is easy to read.

Paulina: The Story of An Almost Unlucky Pig is a charming and classic child/animal friendship story with some added nostalgia that may be particularly appealing for adults of a certain age.