SOLVED. Children's Picture Book: Fantasy, Historical, Fairytale. Little boy's extraordinary Pet Pig (dances? special skill) taken by Queen/ Princess? who collects pets. Unhappy pig becomes huge. Illustrations: browns/ sepia. Read late 90s/early 2000s. [s]

[⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆]

I've desperately searched for this book to no avail; I remember reading it as a child in the late 90s/early 2000s, so it couldn't have been published too recently (I'd say probably 2005 is the maximum cut off, but odds are it's older than that).

The pictures were all very brown/sepia/historic looking in their color palette, not a lot of bright color, likely with a traditional medium like colored pencil or watercolor. It stuck out to me as a child for not having the bright colors I was used to and for having a little more complex of an art style.

The story focuses on a boy in an older setting (I believe it was medieval--it wasn't modern by any stretch) with this pet pig; there's something special about the pig; I believe it's able to dance when the boy plays the flute or something of that nature, but it's a quality that makes the pig worthy of noting.

At one point, the boy and pig are forcibly separated by a queen or a princess or maybe she was just a noblewoman, who collects interesting pets, since the pig's unique quality interests her greatly. The boy and the pig are reluctant to part, but are unable to deny the woman's demand. At first, the woman loves the pig because it's small and cute, but the pig, unhappy to be with her, suddenly begins to grow until it's almost crushing her. I have a vivid memory of her making a :O face as the pig grows huge in her arms, with a smug look on its face like "I'm not so cute now, am I?".

Due to this, the pig is able to return to the boy.

I've tried searching for this story, but I suspect it may be old enough that it's not easily found by searching for keywords. I feel like if I could see the illustrations again I'd immediately recognize it!

[Rainbowheart]

Sounds kinda like Lady Lollipop, but it's not a picture book.

[⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Sounds kinda like Lady Lollipop, but it's not a picture book."

There are similarities definitely! But sadly that is not the book I remember.

I also scanned through this list briefly with no spark of recognition, though I need to look at each entry a bit closer before saying none are candidates.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

[Rainbowheart]

There's also the Books About Pigs list, if you want to take a look through that one.

[⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆]

Still haven't found this book.

[Kris]

Kriss, I copied a few book details to the topic header. Feel free to edit it.

Is this the only story in the book?

[⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆]

Kris wrote: "Kriss, I copied a few book details to the topic header. Feel free to edit it.

Is this the only story in the book?"

I believe so! I don't recall anything else in the art style but the pig story.

[Ayshe]

Crispin and the Dancing Piglet looks likely?

[⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆]

Ayshe wrote: "Crispin and the Dancing Piglet looks likely?"

YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S THE BOOK. I googled it to look for extra illustrations just to be sure and the princess/queen whoever is exactly as I remember!

I can't believe you knew the book, this is amazing, thank you so, so much! It's been driving me up the wall for years.