Slavia Miki appeared on the BC Bestsellers List in October of 2014 after she contributed text for a children's book, Dolphin SOS (Tradewind, 2014), co-authored with her husband, Roy Miki, and illustrated by Julie Flett. Based on true events, Dolphin SOS recounts the story of three dolphins trapped in an ice-covered cove on the coast of Newfoundland. After the government fails to provide assistance, some young boys take matters into their own hands in order to save the distressed dolphins. The book received the Christie Harris Illustrated B.C. Book Prize in April of 2015.

BOOKS:

Dolphin SOS (Tradewind, 2014) with Roy Miki. Illustrations by Julie Flett $17.95 9781896580760

Peggy's Impossible Tale (Tradewind, 2021) with Roy Miki. Illustrations by Mariko Ando $19.95 978-1926890210

[BCBW 2021]

Peggy’s Impossible Tale by Slavia Miki & Roy Miki,
Illustrated by Mariko Ando (Tradewind $19.95) Ages 6 – 8

When their daughter Elisse was a young girl, writers Slavia Miki and Roy Miki bought her a guinea pig they named Peggy. It turned out to be transformative for both Elisse and her new pet.

“Overcoming her initial fears and limitations, Peggy accepted any challenge, just so they [Peggy and Elisse] could be together, at least so it seemed to us,” write the Mikis in the acknowledgments to their fictionalized kidlit story about a similar guinea pig, Peggy’s Impossible Tale.

“The relationship between Elisse and Peggy enriched our lives, showing us how Elisse’s love could transform and elevate the life of even the smallest of beings. Peggy’s love for Elisse showed us how the seemingly impossible could become possible and how the ordinary could become special.”

The story is told in the voice of the pet guinea pig. It starts with Peggy alone in her cage at a pet store as a mother and daughter walk in. We quickly learn that Peggy knows what the humans are saying when the pet store owner calls guinea pigs stupid.

“Hey Sandy, I’m not stupid,” squeaks Peggy. “I can understand you.”
Then Peggy agonizes as the mother and daughter (a girl named Lisa) check out the special guinea pigs such as the Peruvian with long silver hair that covers its eyes and a tortoiseshell with dark eyes.

“I’m just an ordinary guinea pig with short white hair and small pink ears,” says Peggy. “I was afraid that Lisa wouldn’t choose me.”
But Lisa does opt for Peggy and the two become instant best friends. “Finally I had a family of my own,” says Peggy.

Soon, Peggy teaches Lisa to understand her ‘squeak talk’: “For five days I repeated my squeaks until Lisa finally understood me.”

Peggy falls into the rhythms of each day, from waking up and having breakfast to dinner time and “delicious morsels from the table.” Her favourite time of day though, is when Lisa comes home from school. “Even before she stepped on the front stairs, I would squeak, ‘Welcome home, welcome home.’”

Lisa spends all her spare time with Peggy. One day Peggy tries to follow Lisa to the study upstairs. But the guinea pig can’t climb the stairs. Lisa’s mom sees Peggy struggle and offers this advice: “The difficult is done immediately. The impossible takes a little longer.”

Eventually Lisa helps Peggy do the impossible as, “one day, Lisa put my paws on a step and gave my round bottom a little push. To my surprise I climbed one stair, and then another … I could finally climb stairs.”

Peggy learns many other things, some the hard way. Like staying away from electrical plugs and not chewing electrical cords as they can deliver an uncomfortable zap. The vacuum scares her. And when Lisa trains Peggy to walk outdoors with a special harness and leash, cats and crows are to be avoided.
Most other people don’t believe that Peggy could possibly climb stairs and walk on a leash. That’s when Lisa’s mom suggests they enter Peggy in a Special Pets Contest. There, Peggy shows disbelieving humans that ‘the impossible’ can be realized.

It’s a valuable lesson for everyone.

9781926890210

BCBW 2021-22