because homer is so overdone

I'll admit it--The Pig Scrolls by Gryllus the Pig (as told to Paul Shipton), and its sequel, The Pig Who Saved the World, are intended for middle schoolers.

But the Shrek franchise is aimed at kids, too, and come on-- that's fun for the whole family.

I compare The Pig Scrolls to Shrek not only because I think both can amuse those older than the intended audience (I first read The Pig Scrolls as a senior in high school), but because both are parodies.

I should say here that I love parodies. They may be my favorite type of humor. I read whatever parodies I can get my hands on, and write parodies almost as frequently as I write completely original pieces (the assignment: write a 15-page short story in the style of a horror novel. 165 pages of golden Dracula parody later, I got an A in the class). I love parodies because so much wit has to be involved to pull off a funny, original story that still works with the source material.

And trust me-- humor, wit, and sarcasm (my other favorite) are aplenty in The Pig Scrolls, which draw from the Greek myths.

Gryllus, the protagonist, is a talking pig, but he didn't start out that way. He was a crew member on Odysseus's ship, one of those turned into swine by Circe. But when Circe agrees to change the men back, Gryllus makes sure he can't be found. After all, why be a human, with a life filled with danger and responsibility? Better to be a pig, where all he has to worry about are his two favorite things-- eating and sleeping.

That is, until he runs into teenage prophetess Sibyl, who informs him that the world is in grave danger, and can only be saved by a talking pig.

Awesome.

And so begins the bizarre quest of determined, idealistic Sibyl and cowardly, completely unwilling Gryllus: locating a strange shepherd boy to deliver to Apollo. Along the way, they run into a whole cast of interesting, mythical characters, such as a moody, adolescent Homer, and too many monsters for comfort.

The Pig Scrolls and its sequel, The Pig Who Saved the World (where Gryllus is, once again, called upon to save the cosmos) both have tight, action-filled plots, but it's the humor that really makes Shipton's novels shine. Clever references and modifications of Greek myths (which younger readers may not fully get), British slang, and a heavily sarcastic voice make Gryllus's tales utter fun to read. Gryllus is a lovable character, with a big heart and conscience hidden behind his snarky tone, laziness, and self-centeredness. His friendship with Sibyl and company is humorous, heartwarming, and full of banter.

Don't expect The Odyssey, here. They are middle-grade books. But if you like humor, parodies, Greek myths, or sarcasm, don't ignore this book just because the narrator is a talking pig. Love the fact that the narrator is a talking pig, because, really-- a talking pig saving the Greek gods and the entire cosmos? How great is that? (About as great as an ogre saving the world of fairy tale characters, eh, eh?)

And, oh yes-- the way the second book ends leaves room for a third, but even though The Pig Who Saved the World was published in 2006, I haven't heard about a third, even though I would love to see what happens to Gryllus...

And remember-- if you have a mid-list book that you love, email me an original book and a little info about yourself (for the "About the Guest Reviewer" bit) and I'll post it. Spread the word about books you love!