***Interstellar Pig

Reviewed September 3, 2003.
Puffin Books, 1984. 197 pages.

My oldest son read this years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, and now my youngest son has read it and proceeded to read every book by William Sleator in our library.

The idea is fun.  Barney’s having a boring summer at a cottage on the beach.  Then some attractive people move in next door and are terribly interested in his parents’ cottage.  They invite Barney to play an amazing board game set in outer space.  The object of the game is to be the person holding the Piggy when the game ends.  Once you have the Piggy, you have to hide it from the other players, who will stop at nothing to wrest it from you.  After all, the losers are destroyed, along with their home planets.

Then Barney follows some clues and discovers a real Piggy.  What if the game is not only a board game?

Here’s a fun science fiction adventure with the future of the world in the balance.  Judging by my sons, it’s especially good for boys from upper elementary grades through early high school.

Reader comment:  Kristin gives this book 5 stars, with the comment:  I read this book in High School (14yrs ago)and loved it - I've since been looking for it for my son to read - and only tonight was able to recall the Title!  
It's a fabulous book - I think every kid would like it.  Great Creativity!

Copyright © 2004 Sondra Eklund.  All rights reserved.