Julius

I just can't. So much destruction, not to mention the everyday messes that someone else gets to clean up. The blurb implies that Maya and Julius have to learn to get along, whereas the truth is that Maya's parents have to live with their decision to open the crate from the grandfather and let the 'kids' fall in love with each other. I'm trying to appreciate the subversive nonsense, and to see it from a kid's perspective, but I just can't.

I had mixed feelings about this book after reading it. I liked the book because it can show children the responsibilities of owning a pet and how much time and effort it takes to maintain one. I liked how their friendship grows throughout the book and the fact that both Julius and Maya learned something from each other. I did not like the fact that Johnson made it seem that owning a pet is very messy and hard to control. Some children may even purposely eat like Julius and think that is funny or okay because a character did it in a book they read. On the other hand, this would be a great book to read to a class that has behavior issues or children who need to learn manners. You can teach your students you don't want to be like the show more crazy, messy Julius, but rather the respectful well-mannered one! show less

I liked this book for three reasons. First, the plot is unlike any other. Maya receives an Alaskan pig from her grandfather; her parents aren't too pleased with this. Watching the relationship Maya has with her pet pig is exciting, sweet, and most importantly, unique. Julius, the pig, and Maya engage in fun activities throughout the story. Maya's family is at first displeased with Julius because he often doesn't share and is very messy. Next, Johnson showed through the character of Julius, that people often have another side to them. Johnson shows this by highlighting his good traits, such as: being fun ot take on walks, trying on clothes with, playing on swings, and protecting her when she was scared. Johnson also describes how Julius show more felt about Maya. "Julius loved the Maya who taught him that even though he was a pig he didn't have to act like he lived in a barn." The character development between both Maya and Julius is fun to watch evolve. They both learn from each other to create a nice balance of when the right time is to be fun and crazy but also how to be mindful and respecting of others. The two have a special relationship that many can learn from. Maya shares with her friends the ways she and Julius like to have fun while Julius shows that he can be courteous and respectful of others and his environment. Lastly, the illustrations truly made this book come to life. With vibrant colors and fine detail, Dav Pilkey really captures the essence of their relationship, their activities together, and the lessons learned. His ability to apply his illustrations to these qualities in a true and unique way is admirable. Pilkey's illustrations enhance Johnson's text in a positive way. The moral of this story lies in true friendship qualities; such as the many benefits of sharing. show less

Julius by Angela Johnson is a warm hearted children’s picture book about a young girl and her pig. This book is age appropriate for children in kindergarten to third grade. The book centers around a young girl named Maya and her pig Julius. Julius is a pig that was gifted to her from her family, through experiences the two form an inseparable bond. The book depicts activities that the two did together, such as watching movies, dancing together, going for walks, and eating peanut butter from a jar. The book ends by basically reaffirming Maya’s and Julius’s love for one another, depicting them living a happy life huddled under a cover. This book is simplistic but very enjoyable. I loved the warm, colorful illustrations, and the show more activities they depict are pretty hysterical. Overall I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5. This would be a great book for beginning readers as its size makes it a short and easy read. As for a central message, one you could possibly take away from it would be to always be happy with what you have. Maya wasn't exactly expecting to get a pig at the beginning of the book, but she was extremely happy with what she was given. Maya made the most of her situation and couldn't of been happier. Overall this is an adorable children’s picture book that I would gladly recommend for any beginning readers. show less

Mya receives the gift of an Alaskan pig named Julius from her grandfather and they have many things to teach each other. Mya teaches Julius how to act more civilized and Julius teaches Mya how to dance to jazz and other fun things. It is a silly book that can help children to learn that you can learn something new from everywhere and you can even learn some things from the people-or pigs- you least expect to learn from.

Maya's grandfather brings her, from Alaska, a huge, pink pig named Julius, and together the two of them learn about friendship, affection, and sharing. I loved this book. It made me want a pet pig.

The story starts with a young girl named Maya who receives a surprise present from her Granddaddy. The present is a large pig called Julius. Maya loves Julius but her parents do not. Maya and Julius have several crazy but fun adventures. Maya finally decides to teach Julius about manners. After this everyone is happier and Julius and Maya remain the best of friends. I liked that the story showed how friends share experiences and help each other to be the best they can be.