Xiao Zhu, Little Pig

A bilingual read-along book for children ages 4-9, this story tells of a timid piglet who uses his powerful snout to become an outstanding soccer player (in Chinese with Mandarin pinyin pronunciation guides; retold in English). When this talent does not save him from being sent to the market, he escapes into the woods. Watching the soccer games from afar, he yearns for his human friends. Years later, at a family gathering at the old farm, he becomes a hero when he saves a small child. Reunited with his old friends, he observes modestly that of course friends help each other, so why are they fussing over him? Written in the style of a Chinese fable, this original story is built on the timeless themes of friendship, faithfulness, and perseverance, and follows the read-along tradition of Kipling's Just So Stories, accompanied by exquisite color pencil-and-watercolor illustrations.

Katherine Liang Chew is the author of A String of Beads and Other Stories, The Magical Dumplings and Other Chinese Fables, and Tales of the Teahouse Retold: The Investiture of the Gods. Born in China, as a young adult she immigrated to the USA, where she became a librarian, taught Chinese civilization and culture, and worked as an interpreter. She re-creates the fables of her childhood from her home in Irvine, California.