'full of love and tenderness'

This little book is one to be savoured every night before you go to sleep. It is so full of love and tenderness that it fills the reader with the same, and every page has some happiness and humour which deletes the stresses of the day and you float into the beautiful little world of guinea pigs Hazel, Choklit, Chestnut and Little Spot. 

Their adventures in the beautiful island of Tasmania with the loving Merridy and her friends are never-ending, and we look forward with bated breath to the next book of the trilogy, Boars Behaving Badly!

– Liz Pugh 2017

'the perfect antidote to a world full of bad and sad news'

This gem of a book is the perfect antidote to a world full of bad and sad news. A heart-warming story of one woman's discovery of and connection to a what are a little-truly-known race full of adorable personalities.

– Mark Goninon 2017

'often hilarious, always engaging'

Merridy leads a peaceful, perhaps somewhat predictable life until she unsuspectingly comes under the spell of two seemingly innocent guinea pigs at the Hobart Guinea Pig Show. Then life changes forever. On a steep-enough curve to learn about caring for her ravishingly cute charges, Merridy soon finds that needs are one thing, demands quite another, especially when it comes to the pedigree cream boar, Hazel Pink-Ears. When she takes on her nephew's two pigs as well, the demands expand exponentially.

In this gentle, often hilarious story the author skilfully weaves the guinea-pigs' surprising personality traits and bodily functions into the lives of their human mother and her family. It positively glows with the pleasure of sharing life with much-loved animal companions. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates a good, cheerful read.

– Amazon customer 2017

'beating at the heart of Merridy's book is a very big idea'

Don’t be deceived by her prose – as light as a perfect passionfruit sponge cake. Not everybody can make a perfect passionfruit sponge. Don’t be deceived by her subject matter, either. Guinea pigs are cute and whimsical and delightful, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that they are only these things. Beating at the heart of Merridy’s book is a very big idea – that the smallest of creatures can not only live very big lives, but they can also, if we allow them, expand our lives to extraordinary dimensions.

– Danielle Wood 2017

'a charming little book'

The average reader probably knows very little about guinea piggus domesticus a.k.a. the guinea pig. This charming little book will soon fix that.

There is so much to learn about these little creatures: How to feed and house them? How to be sure they are healthy? How to prevent boredom and bullying? The book informs the reader about such things as pigloos, chocolate raisins, guinea pig baubles, conga lines and the special knack of popcorning.

According to one (ahem) ‘independent’ review, Pig Tails gives ‘a new respect for guinea pigs. Hazel One-Eye is irresistible’. No doubt the Pig God will ensure that Books 2 and 3 follow as soon as possible. I hope so.

– Sheelagh Wegman 2017

'the world will never look the same again' 

Pig Tails claims that it is The First-Ever Guinea Pig Novel for Adults. This may well be true, but it tells only half the story. The book is a delightful read for all ages. It takes you into a real world where adults and guinea pigs are equals. Merridy goes to a pet show, is entranced by Hazel, more guinea pigs follow and soon Merridy has many guinea pigs – or do they have her?

After reading this book the world will never look the same again, and why should it? There is a warmth and empathy that you realise has been lost from this world and it takes the reading of Pig Tails for it to be regained.

– Laurence Hogue, 2018

'unfailingly funny'

I really like this delightful little book. It was very easy to read and could be dipped into at will. The characters of the guinea pigs were really well-drawn and endeared the reader to their quirky ways.

From the moment Merridy bought her beautiful pedigree boar, Hazel, and his non-pedigree companion, Chestnut, I was hooked. Each chapter was engaging and unfailingly funny and I laughed out loud sometimes at their adventures, especially when Choklit and Little Spot arrived too, to add to the mayhem. I’m looking forward to the next episode of the guinea pigs and their human family and their adventures very much.

– Alison Johnston 2018

'a refreshingly different read'

For those who're looking for a refreshingly different read, set a date to meet Merridy. Get drawn instantly into a most unexpected world. Merridy's art confesses from the heart, and this is where she truly shines.

– Corrianne Lasevičius 2017

'a rare little treasure'

This is a rare little treasure of a book, rather like the hero of the story himself, the most illustrious Hazel the guinea pig. I was smiling with every page I turned over and the illustrations done by the author are utterly charming.

If you're looking for a bedtime read that is completely different and guaranteed to make you fall madly in love with piggy-people, this is the book for you. Like it says on the cover, it is "A degustation of bedtime reading in digestible portions".

– Michelle (Amazon customer) 2017

'such a sweet and beautiful book'

What an absolutely darling book. Aside from the adorable guinea pig characters, the voice Pugh has written this piece in is very endearing. You really feel her and the relationships she's building and creating with these lovely creatures. For those of us who have deep and loving relationships with our pets, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, we can immediately relate to the love that grows the deeper into the book you go.

Her book brought back memories of rabbit hutches, dog adventures and cat tunnels made from blankets and sheets. I have to say, I learned so much about guinea pigs I never knew, like the complexity of telling their sex. It gave me quite the laugh. I remember being a girl of ten or so trying to figure this out with a chipmunk I was nursing back to health. What a sweet and beautiful book.

– Noelle Vignola 2017

and about Boars…