The Pigman and Me (Bantam Starfire Books) [Mass Market Paperback]

Paul Zindel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bantam Starfire Books | Publication Date: September 1, 1993

Eight hundred and fifty-three horrifying things had happened to me by the time I was a teenager. That was when I met my Pigman, whose real name was Nonno Frankie.



The year Paul Zindel, his sister, Betty, and their mother lived in the town of Travis, Staten Island, New York, was the most important time of his teenage life. It was the year he and Jennifer Wolupopski were best friends. It was the year of the apple tree, the water-head baby, and Cemetery Hill. And it was the year he met Nonno Frankie Vivona, who became his Pigman.



Every word of his story is true. And The Pigman & Me has an added bonus--one crucial piece of information: the secret of life, according to the Pigman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Zindel's ( The Pigman ; My Darling, My Hamburger ) fans will find that his autobiography has much more than a little in common with his fiction: black humor abounds, and the whipcrack narration is replete with genuine teenage sarcasm. Rather than chronicle his entire life, the author has chosen to relates the events of one a single significant year in his early adolescence. After years of moving the family from one shabby apartment to the next, Zindel's unhappy and eccentric mother seemed ready to settle into the house she and Connie--another single mother--had bought. Just how much this promise of stability meant to Zindel is revealed by the intensity of the longing that lies just below his wisecracking tone. The very best part of the arrangement was the presence of Connie's father--Nonno Frankie. In his frequent visits to the Staten Island household, Nonno Frankie cooked sumptuous Italian feasts and dished out plenty of advice and support to the young Zindel. Readers familiar with the author's novels will not be surprised to learn that in Zindel's real life--as well as in his fiction--this happy situation is too good to last long. With its brisk pace and lively goings-on, this account will appeal to the die-hard Zindel fan and the casual reader alike. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-12?A popular author turns teen troubles into humor as he recalls the year he, his sister, and their neurotic, wheeler-dealer mother shared a house with another single mother and her rambunctious, identical, preschool twins. Salvation comes in the form of his "pigman."
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Starfire (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553564560
• ISBN-13: 978-0553564563
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,251,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The REAL Pigman-Revealed!, May 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Pigman and Me (Bantam Starfire Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

Readers of Paul Zindel's young adult novels, especially The Pigman, will enjoy reading about the difficulties he and his sister endured growing up with a single mother in New Jersey in the 40's and 50's. After his mother takes in a roommate with 2 young sons, Zindel is exposed to the boys' grandfather, who becomes a surrogate father, a grown-up playmate, an inspiration, and a support to him as he struggles with his coming of age, his mother's strange schemes, and his own insecurities. As he shares his adventures with his pigman, Nonno Frankie, and his best friend, Jennifer, Zindel reveals the source of his humor and the basis for many of his stories and characters. Younger readers will find his light touch and reslience in dealing with difficulty a source of strength. A great introduction to this author and to the memoir genre.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Starts out great, but..., August 28, 2004

By 

Markus A. Wolf "captcrouton" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pigman and Me (Bantam Starfire Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

If you want to feel good at the end of a story, this is not the book for you. It's a fascinating glimpse into the real life of an author, and it's a neat exploration into a time and region that no longer exists. But the end of the book, in it's honesty, makes you feel kind of sad and cynical. Hmm bummer.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the pigman and me, January 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Pigman and Me (Bantam Starfire Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought this was a good book because it was interesting. It is about a boy, his mom, and sister. They share a house with a girl and her twin sons. The twins' grandfather becomes the boy's pigman. My favorite part was when Paul met the twins' grandfather. I liked this book because it was not boring and interesting. Like when Paul got in a fight with a kid from school and his sister saved him. I would recommend this book to young teens.