It was a beautiful bright sunny day, and the clouds were round, perfectly white and fluffy. I was on a drive when the characters for Tigger the Mouse and the Smithsonians began to take shape in the sky. I first saw that the clouds had formed a little mouse laid over on his back in laughter. Immediately I knew he was, Tigger. As I continued to drive another character had formed, it was a curly haired pig. I said, Lord, are there curly haired pigs? Well if there are, this one looks like a Smidge. The story began to unfold. I went home and Googled curly haired pigs. Low and behold, there they were. Mangalitsa pigs, curly haired like sheep living off the land instead of mud and slop. I was overjoyed with laughter.

A story with such a magical beginning must have some magical characters, and it does. There is Olivia, who speaks to animals with Newair . The gift of Newair allows humans to hear the thoughts of animals as they travel on the wind. There is Smidge the mangalitsa pig that defies all we thought we knew about the rotund creatures. She loves to stay clean, and pretty. Last, but definitely not least, there is Tigger the little mouse with the heart and soul of a tiger! Book One tells the story of Tigger’s parents and how they came into the care of the Smithsonians