KCU Pitchfest Showcase 2023 (Top 50)
The Four Little Guinea Pigs
Brixie the guinea had more food than she could eat. Two other piggies joined her for lettuce, carrots, lettuce, hay, and more lettuce, and they lived happily ever after.
Just kidding.
Distress and discomfort hit when a newcomer, Gray, recites: “I’ll hop! And I’ll pop! And I’ll eat all your crops!” Mischief and mayhem strike when Strawberry impulsively tests all the other piggies’ things. Adventure and anxiety ensue for Woody when one of the houses gets blown away and the herd sets out to retrieve it. And there’s gloating and great tears when Coco, their bunny cousin, visits and challenges Brixie to a race. It’s food, fun, and more food in the lives of these four little piggies as they learn how to accept and love each other’s differences.
Age Range:
Early Reader, Chapter BookGenre:
Adventure, Animals, Disability Content, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Neurodiversity Content, Own Voices, Retelling, Social-Emotional, Social IssuesPage Count Estimate:
160
My Why:
As a Highly Sensitive Person in a family full of neurodivergents and a community of adults discovering they’ve been undiagnosed, I’ve realized there are so many of us. Which is why I wrote a story with a host of neurodiverse characters for younger kids. It’s not just one kid in any given classroom who reacts to sensory input. It’s not just a few who think differently. It’s not just autism. It’s ADHD and being highly sensitive. There’s overlap with sensory difficulties and anxiety and feeling like you don’t fit in. My hope is that my guinea pigs showcase a variety of minds and emotions as they work through challenges and have fun.
And being cute. Always cute.
Heidi Rogers
Heidi M. Rogers (she/her) is a neurodivergent author/illustrator. With a BA in art and graphic design, she’s spent 20 years working as a designer, artist, writer, and editor, though her love of children’s stories can be traced back to The Tooth-Gnasher Super Flash. She reads and writes YA, novels-in-verse, picture books, and graphic novels. As the doting guinea pig mama to Stacy, Riley, and Buttercup (R.I.P.), she’s bringing these underrated furry potatoes into the hearts of others.