The Improbable Adventures of Marvelous O'Hara Soapstone

by Paul Galdone, Zibby Oneal (Illustrator)

The Soapstone family finds it very difficult to cope with their pig when she falls in love with the cement dolphin in the park lily pond.

Genres: Childrens

Hardcover

Published September 18, 1972

About the author

Paul Galdone (1907 - November 7, 1986) was a children's literature author and illustrator. He was born in Budapest and he emigrated to the United States in 1921. He studied art at the Art Student's League and New York School for Industrial Design. He served for the US Army during world War II.

He illustrated nearly all of Eve Titus' books including the Basil of Baker Street series which was translated to the screen in the animated Disney film, The Great Mouse Detective.

Galdone and Titus were nominated for Caldecott Medals for Anatole (1957) and Anatole and the Cat (1958). The titles were later named Caldecott Honor books in 1971.

He died of a heart attack in Nyack, New York. He was posthumously awarded the 1996 Kerlan Award for his contribution to children's literature. His retellings of classic tales like "The Little Red Hen" or "Three Billy Goats Gruff" have become staples.

Reviews

[Priscilla King · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a picture book so I'm not sure why anyone wanted to credit the illustrator as the primary author. It is a chapter book for grade four or five, about the trouble children get into by keeping a pig as a pet. It's never been a bestseller but children, and people who read to them, often like it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story about two girls who love animals and are given a "champion" pig who turns out to be a difficult, emotional animal.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 2 out of 5]

C. fiction, children's fiction, grade 4, humor, pet pig, Weekly Reader Book Club, from stash, discard

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate this pig.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A most unusual pig goes to the fair!

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children's book about the adventures of a pet pig. It was mostly pretty good, but the way the parents seemed to swap personalities partway through was a bit odd.

Good art.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun, silly book! It was fun to read it to the kids!