Piggy Handsome: Guinea pig destined for stardom

Piggy Handsome is a guinea pig leading a comfortable life; with a roomy cage (or maisonette as he likes to refer to it), a friend in Jeffry the budgie and very little threat from the rather over fed cat Cranky Scrapper. However Handsome is not content. He comes from a line of famous ‘Handsomes’ and feels he is failing in his duty to the family name if he does not achieve greatness and recognition himself. Despite the opportunity to escape his cage regularly he has not achieved his dream so far until one day Jeffry spots an advert for a chip eating contest at the beach, a perfect opportunity for Piggy to achieve fame. But how will they get there? A crazy journey to the beach follows with Piggy and Jeffry travelling at break neck speed by roller boot. On the way they encounter some dastardly robbers whose escape plan our hero inadvertently thwarts. Will Piggy achieve his dream as a world record chip eater or more importantly recognition as a robber thwarter?

This is a rollicking and amusing adventure which newly independent readers with a taste for the ridiculous will enjoy. The illustrations within the text add to the humour. The inept and rather revolting Dahlesque villains Dan and Dolly Dixon’s attempt to hold up the jewellers is very amusing. Piggy is a rather pompous yet appealing character well supported by a much more sensible sidekick in Jeffry. I suspect this duo is likely to return with more adventures as Piggy’s quest for stardom continues.