Sidney and Norman: A Tale of Two Pigs by Phil Vischer

Sidney and Norman are neighbors. Norman is a “good” pig. He is always well put together, on time, and follows the rules. He is very proud of himself for being such a great pig, and wonders why all other pigs aren’t like him.

Sidney is messy. He’s always 10 minutes late. He gets in trouble a lot. He wondered why everything was so hard for him. Sidney feels broken.

Then one day, both pigs receive an invitation to come and talk to God; there is something He wants to tell them.

Norman is excited and sure God is going to give him an award for being such a good pig. Sidney panics. He feels like he is in school again, being called to the principal’s office.

When Norman meets with God, God tells him first that he loves Norman. Then he tells him He doesn’t love Norman because of his goodness. Finally, he tells Norman that he is not as good as he has led himself to believe. He’s prideful and looks down on others. Norman is shocked but after thinking about things, realizes that God was absolutely right.

When Sidney, terrified, meets with God, God tells him first “I love you.” Then, “I love you.” Finally, “I love you.” At first, Sidney thinks he has fooled God, but then he realizes that couldn’t be possible. The only other option is that God loves Sidney, messes and all.

Both pigs are very different from that day forward. Sometimes Norman becomes prideful again and sometimes Sidney gets down on himself, but all they have to do is remember their conversations with God and they find the right perspective.

Veggie Tales creator, Phil Vischer, has written a beautiful and poignant story for readers of all ages. I tend to lean towards being legalistic, so reading this book with my children is also an excellent reminder for me that God’s love doesn’t change based on what we do- or don’t do.

This is a long read for a picture book. If you are reading it with especially little ones, it might be a good idea to prepare them or break the story up a bit. It can be very easy for children to assume God’s love might ebb and flow in conjunction with how “good” they have been, and this book will provide ample opportunity to address this misconception.

There are a few things of which to be aware. Although it’s never illustrated, both of the pigs have a meeting with God in which He is visible in some form to the pigs. “God looked a little sad now.” “Then God smiled and returned to his desk.” “The look in God’s eyes warmed Sidney…” “God said as he stepped back toward his desk, still smiling.”

While Norman does come to the realization that his selfishness and pride are sin, there is no speak of sin with Sidney. While Sidney obviously needed to see God’s love differently, it seems as though Sidney doesn’t need to change anything about himself, except how he views himself- because of how God views him. As someone who struggles with legalism, I greatly appreciate the heart behind this, but I think it has swung a bit too far in the opposite direction. While this could definitely be a helpful resource for a child who struggles equating good behavior with love, a discussion about sin and a need for a Savior would be helpful to have immediately after.

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1. At the beginning of the book, how did Norman look on the outside? Sidney?
2. How did Norman feel on the inside? Sidney?
3. After talking with God, how did Sidney and Norman change?
4. Do Norman and Sidney both need a Savior?