The Christmas Pig

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Did the novel’s tone strike you as being more whimsical or serious? What details contributed to your impression?

3. How does this book compare to stories such as The Velveteen Rabbit and Roverandom, which also feature the adventures of a lost favorite toy?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Think about the last thing you lost. Which area of the Land of the Lost would it occupy, and why?

2. Have you ever loved a childhood toy as Jack loves DP? What significance did this toy hold for you?

3. Which character did you relate to the most strongly, and why?

4. The author tries to capture a child’s perspective on difficult life changes. Did any of Jack’s experience remind you of your own childhood experiences? Why or why not?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The author depicts the Land of the Lost as a hierarchical, merciless society in which an object’s value is determined solely by how much or how little it is loved by others. Is this idea wholesome or unhealthy? Does Rowling’s story promote the idea that self-worth is based only upon external judgments? 

2. The author includes Happiness, Hope, and Principles as positive characters and personifications of abstract human traits. Compare these characters to Rowling’s depictions of Ambition and Power. How does The Christmas Pig serve as an allegory for real-world issues and conflicts?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel both adhere to and challenge the conventions of the children’s fantasy genre? 

2. Unlike DP, Jack proves himself to be a dynamic character. How does he change over the course of the novel?

3. How does the author balance humor and suspense in her dialogue and descriptions? Cite at least three examples to support your interpretation.

4. Analyze the Christmas Pig’s decision to sacrifice himself for the sake of Jack and DP. Given the young age of Rowling’s target audience, is her decision to equate love with self-sacrifice beneficial or problematic?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you could retell this story in a different way, which medium would you choose— a song, a play, a film, or a comic book? Which elements of the story would you keep, and which would you change?

2. Invent an additional chapter that reveals the backstory of King Power and Ambition. How did they come to reside in the City of the Missed, and what motivates them to act as they do?

3. In the story, Poem speaks in rhyme and shares valuable information with Jack. Write a poem in which this character reveals her ultimate goal and her initial impressions of the Land of the Lost.