The true story behind it
My son sometimes hits a wall with something new and decides, right there, that he can’t do it. I kept coming back to the phrase people use for the impossible, “when pigs fly.” In Sinhala we have our own version, about a tortoise growing feathers. I wanted to flip that idea for him.
So in this story Pippin builds a hot air balloon with Kitty and Dino, and by the end he really does fly. The point I wanted my son to feel is simple: even pigs can fly, if you have a dream you care about and people who’ll help you get there.
What happens in the story
Pippin the pig has a dream. He wants to see the world from up high, just like a bird. “But pigs can’t fly,” he says. He has cloth, rope and a big basket, and he wants to build a hot air balloon, but he doesn’t know how.
So Kitty and Dino help. They snip and stitch the cloth and tie four long ropes to the basket. Then the first try fails. Kitty blows wind into the balloon, and it puffs up, then goes flat the moment she stops. Pippin’s own picture book has the answer: a balloon needs hot air inside to rise.
So Kitty’s wind swirls in while Dino warms the air, and the balloon glows like a giant lantern and lifts off the grass. Kitty leaps into the basket at the last second, and the three of them float over the trees and the river before landing safely back in Pippin’s field.
Looking for a children’s book about pigs?
Pigs in picture books mostly stay on the farm. Pippin is a pink pig in a blue scarf with a very big dream and a picture book full of ideas.
It’s a good one for kids who like to build things, and for kids who give up the moment something doesn’t work. The balloon fails on the first try, and the fix is right there in Pippin’s book.
Look inside
Flip through the opening pages of the book.
Questions to ask after reading
A few questions for the minute after the book closes. There are no wrong answers.
- Why didn’t the balloon fly the first time?
- What did Kitty and Dino do together to make it float?
- If you could fly over your town, what would you want to see?
Perfect for
- ✓ The child who gives up early, sure they can’t do it
- ✓ Talking about big dreams and not quitting
- ✓ Little ones who love balloons, flying and adventure
- ✓ A gentle, hopeful bedtime read
Quick answers
Show a child that even pigs can fly
One short story. One pig who refuses to quit. Ready for tonight.
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