The Pig War

"The Pig War" was written as part of the "I Can Read" series of books for beginning readers. It tells about an event in 1859, when San Juan Island, in what is now Washington State, was claimed by both British trappers and American owners. Tensions were rising, when a British pig was shot in an American garden. The real potential for war existed following this incident. Eventually this was peacefully resolved, resulting in the establishment of the border between what is now America and Canada in that region.Betty Baker does an excellent job of making this ultimately humorous event readable for young readers. This little book experienced a revival of interest during the Washington State Centennial in 1989. In my opinion, it's still a must-read for students in Washington.The one drawback to this book is that the illustrations depict the local natives as Plains Indians, and not as Coast Salish. This is a minor distraction, since the story centers on the struggles between the white settlers.

History is rarely an engrossing subject for young readers, but Baker has managed to engage them with a humorous and simple text. This story of the Pig War on the San Juan islands is a must-read for any children from Washington State.