Goody Sherman's Pig - Hardcover

Mary Blount Christian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0027182517 ISBN 13: 9780027182514

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1991

Synopsis

In Massachusetts in 1636, Goody Sherman begins a 1egal battle over her pig that ends up dividing the legislative department of the colony into two independent branches.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6-- In Boston, Massachusetts, in the year 1636, Goodwife Elizabeth Sherman's pig escapes from the barn because of a loose yoke. Over the next seven years, Goody Sherman fights legal battles against Captain Robert Keayne to prove that he captured her pig, slaughtered it, and fed it to his dinner guests. This work of historical fiction, based on a true incident, proposes that Goody Sherman's legal battles are the reason that the United States now has a bicameral system of government. Christian develops the plot at a steady pace and does not let it drag. In Goody Sherman, she has created a very strong character. The goodwife pays no attention to her title or the cultural conventions of her day and could be considered a feminist of her time. Unfortunately, the author does not explain how such titles as "Goodman" or "Goodwife" fit into the social history of the United States. Zimmer's pen-and-ink drawings and use of crosshatching are not as successful here as in Larry Bograd's Egon (Macmillan, 1980; o.p.) and Ted Hughes's The Iron Giant (HarperCollins, 1988), both of which are comparable to Eric Blegvad's best work. The humorous style of this book is appropriate to the story of the legal ramifications of a lost pig and is consistent throughout. An acceptable companion to Jean Fritz's Shh! We're Writing the Constitution (1987) and Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? (1982, both Putnam).
- Andrew W. Hunter, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

One hot day in Boston , 1636, Goody Sherman discovers that Piggy Pig has escaped from her pen. When foolish Captain Keayne finds the animal, he puts her in the pound. Since Piggy Pig's litters have always brought the poor Shermans money, Goody works her fingers to the bone so she can pay the captain's unreasonable ransom and get Piggy Pig back. When Goody finally earns enough money, she learns that the captain served the hapless porker for dinner at his latest party. So begins Goody Sherman's prolonged quest for justice through the colony's court system. The determined woman quickly discovers that the legal process is far from just; ironically, the court comes to the same conclusion. A new legislative system is developed, consisting of two separate houses; over 100 years later, this system becomes the basis of the U.S. government--all because of Piggy Pig. Based on a true story, this lively tale brims with period details and rich, colorful language. Zimmer's cartoonlike drawings augment the story's humor. Ages 7-11.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0027182517
• ISBN 13: 9780027182514
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 43
• Illustrator: Dirk Zimmer