Pinky & Stinky are two cute little pigs who also happen to be astronauts. They’re on their way to Pluto when they crash-land on the moon and get captured by moon-men. Now, you’re either thinking “that sounds cute” or clicking to another review in disgust. James Kochalka’s work often works that way. This isn’t a book for everyone, and that’s ok. (Although if you do try it, there’s a character for you, an astronaut who doesn’t like the pigs and says “the whole thing is moronic.”)

Pinky & Stinky
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For those who do appreciate his fluid lines and simple design, though, there’s humor and sadness and adventure and clever inventiveness and a statement against piglet bias, all in his unique style. The pigs, for example, are made up of a block for their body, four little blocks for legs, a curly tail, a head shape in a bubble (for their space helmets), and a round nose with two dots. Come to think of it, maybe those blocks are a spacesuit. It’s not really important.

It’s an imaginative journey, reminiscent of a children’s story told over several nights. There’s a feeling of “and then what happened?” throughout the book, as the adventure continues.

There’s a preview available at the publisher’s website.