Alice's Birthday Pig    by Tim Kennemore & Mike Spoor Order:  USA  Can Eerdmans, 2008 (1999) Hardcover     Reviewed by Melissa Parcel Eight-year-old Alice Singer just cannot say the word animal. No matter how hard she tries, it always comes out aminal. Her brother thinks it is funny and teases her; her parents think she will grow out of it; and Alice just thinks the world needs to change the word to be spelled and pronounced her way. She feels very caught in the middle of her family and doesn't know how to react. When Alice's class visits a farm on a field trip, Alice decides that what she wants more than anything in the world for her birthday is a pig for a pet. There are quite a few problems with this idea, especially since the Singers don't live on a farm themselves. What can her parents do to make middle child Alice feel special? Alice's Birthday Pig is a cute introduction to Alice and her family. Younger grade children will identify with Alice, and when they are able to read the books for themselves will enjoy the antics of this sweet girl and her family. The reading level is appropriate for a second or third grade student. Fun characters and an engaging story will keep readers entertained. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews