The Princess in the Pigpen

The Princess in the Pigpen. ISBN 0-395-51587-4. Jane Resh Thomas. 1989. The Kerlan Award. Ages 9-12. Historical Fiction.

The Princess in the Pigpen, by Jane Resh Thomas, tells the story of 9-year-old Elizabeth. She is the daughter of a Duke and Duchess in the year 1600. We begin the story seeing Elizabeth being tended to by her nanny, Sukie, because she is very ill. In a quick moment, however, she is standing in a pigpen in Iowa, 1988. Elizabeth is taken in by Kathy, Joe, and their daughter Ann, who live on the farm that she mysteriously appeared in with her doll and music box. The sheriff, doctor, and this family are all trying to figure out who Elizabeth really is because they can not believe that she is really from 1600 London. Elizabeth recognizes these people as mere peasants, but is enamored by their modern lights and cars, and their library, which she can not understand them having, being merely peasants. She also gets to experience playing with Ann without being told she can't by her nanny, who never lets her fraternize with the help at home. Many interesting facts about history and Queen Elizabeth the First are revealed throughout the story. Elizabeth finally makes it home, and realizes that she has been asleep for only five minutes in real time, 1600 London.

This book, being a fictional and historical, could really be fun to use with a classroom. It is very interesting and will keep a classroom's attention because everyone will want to know the fate of Elizabeth. Little snippets of historical facts are thrown in, as well, in an interesting and realistic way with Elizabeth having known the Queen and others from that time period. I would use this lesson to not only make history fun, but also to point out different perspectives and ways of life by discussing the differences between Ana and Elizabeth.