Synopses & Reviews
Meet Mr. Pignati, a lonely old man with a beer belly and an awful secret. He's the Pigman, and he's got a great big twinkling smile. When John and Lorraine, two high school sophomores, meet Mr. Pignati, they learn his whole sad, zany story. They tell it right here in this book the truth, and nothing but the truth no matter how many people it shocks or hurts.
Review
Two lonely high school students befriend a strange old man, Mr. Pignati. "An intensely moving story of believably alienated young people." Library Journal
Teacher Guide
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Two lonely high-school students meet a strange old man, Mr. Pignati, who lives only through his dreams and his daily visits to his closest friend, the baboon at the zoo. For a short while the three find unexpected love and laughter with each other. But the unreal world they create out of their zaniness and energy is soon tragically shattered and the young people are left to confront the harsh reality of their lives.John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen are sophomores who dislike school and entertain themselves by playing practical jokes. They meet Mr. Angelo Pignati, a kindly old widower affectionately nicknamed the Pigman, through one of their prank telephone calls.John and Lorraine have uneasy relationships with their parents, and they welcome Mr. Pignati's kindness and generosity. One evening as the threesome amuse each other by playing roller-skate tag in the Pigman's house, Mr. Pignati suffers a heart attack. While he is in the hospital, John and Lorraine betray his trust by hosting a party in his home. The situation gets out of hand, and Mr. Pignati returns to a disheveled house where his treasured glass-pig collection has been destroyed and his wife's clothing has been ruined. Although deeply saddened, he forgives the two, but soon suffers a second heart attack. This time the attack is fatal, and John and Lorraine are left contemplating the role they played in the Pigman's death.