Saving Marty, Paul Griffin
Saving Marty, Paul Griffin
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

Saving Marty

Author: Paul Griffin

Narrator: Paul Griffin

Unabridged: 3 hr 59 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/19/2017


Synopsis

Fans of Because of Winn Dixie will adore this warm and heart-wrenching story of the friendship between a boy and a pig who thinks it's a dog.
 
Eleven-year-old Lorenzo Ventura knows heroes are rare—like his father, who died in the war, or his friend Paloma Lee, who fearlessly pursues her dream of being a famous musician. Renzo would never describe himself as a hero, but his chance comes when he adopts Marty, a runt piglet.
 
Marty is extraordinary—he thinks he’s a dog and acts like one too—and his bond with Renzo is truly one of a kind. At first, the family farm seems like the perfect home for Marty, but as he approaches 350 pounds, it becomes harder for Renzo to convince his mom that a giant pig makes a good pet. So when Marty causes a dangerous (and expensive) accident, Renzo knows Marty’s time is up. He’d do anything and everything for his best friend, but will everything be enough to save Marty?
 
Paul Griffin masterfully melds the heartrending and the hopeful in this unforgettable story about the power of friendship . . . and the unsung heroes all around us.

About The Author

Paul Griffin is the award-winning author of When Friendship Followed Me Home, Ten Mile River, The Orange Houses, and Burning Blue. He lives, writes, and trains dogs in New York City.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Cassie on June 22, 2017

Saving Marty sneaked up on me. I could tell from the first page that I was going to like it because Paloma and Renzo are great together, but I didn't expect that I would love it as much as I did. I mean, it was an animal story and my heart can only take so much. But of course Saving Marty isn't just......more

Goodreads review by Laura on October 29, 2017

Wonderful book and strong Newbery 2018 contender.......more

Goodreads review by Darla on March 22, 2019

Rounded up from 4.5. I love a good pig story and Marty is quite a pig. The connection between Paloma and Renzo is so well done and with this audio version you get to hear Pal's original songs. What makes a hero? The combination of the pig who started out as a runt with financial issues, questions ab......more

Goodreads review by Julie on July 22, 2017

Oh my goodness! This book made me laugh, cry, and left me with both a happy and an achy heart. A beautiful story about Renzo, his best friend Paloma, their dreams of moving to California to be famous musicians and surf when they aren't performing, and how the love of a pig (who thinks he is a dog) f......more

Goodreads review by Alex on February 20, 2018

When I started the book, it was pretty boring, and I was thinking about switching to another. But as I kept reading, it got much more interesting, and the ending is really good. I recommend it for 4th and 5th graders because it is a pretty short and easy to read story.......more


Quotes

* "Smart, honest, and heart-achingly real." — Kirkus, starred review

* "[Paul Griffin's] well-drawn characters leave lasting impressions, and he gracefully delves into themes that include love, sacrifice, friendship, and accountability." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This moving story will appeal to readers who love realistic fiction with music, animals, and a dash of humor." — School Library Journal

"Griffin’s novelpacks a powerful punch...[and]captures a slice ofAmericana—the flyover farms of middle America—rarely depicted so sensitively in contemporary middlegradefiction. Hand this one to fans of animal-centered stories." — Booklist