Customer Reviews

A Day No Pigs Would Die

5 star:		(115)
4 star:		(62)
3 star:		(52)
2 star:		(30)
1 star:		(44)

 

 

Simply stated, this is a good book. I am curious to see that it seems to have generated strong negative responses, but these are understandable. It is marketed as a young adult book, and the realism of some of the scenes does strike me as a bit graphic for young people. I remember reading it in the 7th grade and being moved. I read it again to my young children, and did find that I needed to do some heavy editing on the fly (I did not think that my kids needed the full "mating" scene, and in my version Pinky is traded away and a certain unnamed pig gets a less graphic slaughtering). I think that the warnings to sensitive readers are well-founded, but this book is worthy of the praise that it has received. There are other tough scenes throughout the book, but these all end up producing an accurate picture of human civilization before the age of packaged meat and pampered living. Know that it deals with matters of life, death, and husbandry with a no-nonsense approach, but also through the eyes of a sympathetic character who is simply learning what life demands of him.

It's always a joy to "find" a treasure. This book is a treasure. It was 'loaned' to me by my 12 year old daughter (almost 13, going on 35) after she had finished it for her English class. She didn't like the ending. I did. This book is true in every sense of the word. The actions and emotions and nuances are exactly Shaker and Vermont and turn-of-the-century rural. Rob's life is quite similar to my life as a child 35 years ago in rural Pennsylvania. I was born into a farm family and life, though hard, was really good. Yes, even after my father died when I was nine. I had my grandparents there as it was a multi-generational farm. Especially my grandfather who truly loved farming and gifted me with that love. The values are as important today as they were in Rob's time or in my time. Responsibility. Trust. Joy in a job well done and joy in the beauty of God's wonderful world. The truths that quality (and wealth) is not in things, it is in each of us, how we treat eachother, the largly unspoken respect given by family, friends and neighbors, and that being tired from a hard day's work feels good inside and out. Even the bumps and bruises. (Never get between an Angus cow and her calf, they can be as feisty as any Holstein!) The language and flow is also true and easy. I will add this to my collection and I will encourage my 16 year old son to read it and my toddler, when he's ready. And we will all talk about it.

I know this review will be lost in the hundreds of others left here but I have strong reservations about this book and if one person reads my review and is simply made aware of some of the books content then my job is done.

If you aren't familar with the plot, Boy is given pig, pig becomes beloved pet, boy's father must kill pet pig. I'd be okay with my 10 year old reading that type of general material.

However, there is a *very* graphic pig mating scene (let's call a spade a spade, it was pig rape) that is inappropriate for *my* child. It could have been handled far more gently instead of graphically describing the pig's screams and bleeding as the stud pig attempts to breed with her, description of the boy pigs engorged genitalia as it pumps away at the girl pig, inclusion of the boy pig's owner saying something to the effect of "next time she'll be beggin for it"...That scene in itself is enough to keep this book off my daughter's reading list until she's a little older, maybe she'll be ready by age 12 but not any earlier.

The other scene that generates controversy is the scene where the beloved pet is butchered. Yes that's very sad and even kind of gross but I would have still let my 10 year old read it.

There is a lot of good in this book. It will really make the reader think. The base story of a boy becoming a man is solid and for the most part well written. I wish there was a way of writing a review without indicating starts because there *is* so much good in this book but I couldn't bring myself to give it 4 or 5 stars. Wonderful book for a 15 year old. Just not appropriate for under 12 years.

I read this book when I was about 10, over 20 years ago. It was the only book I re-read as a child and it affected me the same way both times- I cried at the end! This is a powerful story with strong values to carry the reader through the rough times at the end. The reader is really forced to look back on all they've learned in the early chapters of the book and hold on to it for the rocky ending. A tough read, but a great exercise in dealing with powerful issues for children.

This purports to be a realistic portrayal of rural Vermont Shaker life decades ago.

Though I haven't seen this mentioned in any review whatsoever, the following essay makes a powerful argument that this book is profoundly dishonest: "Robert Newton Peck and Shaker Beliefs: A Day the Truth Would Die" http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/fall97/sullivan.html

One thing for sure, it is well-written.

Next question, should it be read in 6th or 7th grade classrooms?

Sure, if you think a graphic description of the mating of pigs is appropriate; and if you think an even more graphic descrition of mating horses is appropriate (my edition contains both of these, one is from the first chapter of the follow-up book which is previewed at book's end); and, believe it or not, that's just the start...

This is a grim and violent perspective on life. It would be interesting for students to consider it thoughtfully, and critically, later in high school or in college.

At the middle school age it is an assault.

I Totally Hated this book,me, being in 7th grade, feels that this book is not sutable for any one younger then the age of 14. After reading this book, I just though of how discusting it was! I hated it,I cryed most of the book. This book should not be for children of ONLY the 7th grade.It is deffinetly something that is true, but they were to graphic and some parts they just went a little over board! dont you think?!?!

A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck is a story directed for the warm at heart. It is a coming of age story that was wound so tightly around the main character you couldn't help root for the home team.

A Day No Pigs Would Die is based on a Connecticut farm in the late 1920's. It follows the main character, Robert Peck, through the trouble and adventures that coincide with farm life. These misadventures take him from boyhood to being a man in the eyes of his peers.

Robert Peck is a motivated young man who does well in school and works hard as an ox in July. He lives on the family farm in the small town of Learning. This is brought out in his character by the way that he views other towns and specific events. An example would be when he was taken to the fair in Rutland. He compared the city to the likes of London, England, which they have noted in his geography class as being the largest city in the world. The association of being poor when you live on a farm is also brought out in the clothes that the characters wear. Robert and his father wear overhauls that Mama has sewn them. Another rub-off of the setting involves Robert often wanting to go have "frills" as his parents look at it. These would be going to baseball games and buying ice cream, but as the times were shown, there was no extra money for the family to give him for this type of fun.

I had a strong feeling that this book was very well written. The language used to portray the life that this family had was superb. Using incorrect grammar and punctuation did this. The characters were great and remind me of what my childhood was like spending a lot of time on my grandparents' farm. The events that took place were realistic for the setting and at the same time were very entertaining. These events are ways that Robert Newton Peck showed the development of his main character from boy to man.

A Day No Pigs Would Die is relevant to all people. The theme of the book, being a coming of age journey, brings these travels to your doorstep, telling you that troubling events of your life shouldn't bother you. It gives you an example of how this boy handled these preposterous situations at only the ripe age of 12. All in all Robert Newton Peck wrote this book for a family to read giving good morals and lessons.

A Day No Pigs Would Die is about a twelve year old boy named Rob who finds his neighbor's cow and helps it give birth. Rob's neighbor is grateful and gives Rob a baby pig in return. The book tells of their great adventures and their friendship, creating unforgettable, sad and happy moments. Rob is a very determined and caring boy who is rather quiet. He works on the farm with his dad and learns what it takes to be a farmer.
This story makes you feel incredibly emotional and sad the way Peck tells about what hard times he goes through.

Although it is a very moving, deep and fabulous book, the description of how he's feeling and what is around him is very brief. People who enjoy leisurely and slow, sad books would enjoy this wonderfully weaved story.

The book called A Day No Pigs Would Die is a humourous but sad story.It is written by Robert Peck, and it is a true story. It describes Robert as a boy growing up and having to abide by the book of Shaker.It takes place in Vermont in the 1930's.

A Day No Pigs Would Die is about a boy who has to become a man very soon and his pet pig, Pinky.My favorite part of the story was when Robert went to the Rutland Fair with his neighbors and when he goes to the bathroom. Mrs.Tanner (his neighbor) tells him to watch for perverts, well little did he know that a pervert is a bad thing so he wants to meet one. Another very humourous part was when he brings a D home on his report card,and his Aunt Mattie wants to be his tutor. Well Robert thinks that tutor means an instrument and his Aunt Mattie is going to drown him cause she's Baptist and baptizeS people. A part that I didn't like in the book was when they were trying to weasel Ira Long's dog and after and after they weaseled her,she was so tore up that they had to shoot her to take her out of her misery.

I would recomend this book for anyone who likes to read "down to earth" stories.It tells everything even if it doesn't want to because the author wants you to visualize what's going on.I would recomend this book because this book it is a great story, and I think that you would enjoy it!!

I thought it was depressing and pointless. my mom read it and liked it and appreciated it more because she is older. i dont like sad books. I am in the 9th grade