Book Signing with Ryan Uytdewilligen

Ten-year-old Mikey is a farm kid who doesn’t want to farm. He wants to perform! But as an only child living in an isolated location, he has no one to talk to, let alone perform for. Life is pretty lonely until the day Mikey’s parents give him three pigs to care for and raise. As Mikey soon finds out, these are no ordinary pigs! Humphrey, Bianca, and Moo (yes, a pig named Moo) can talk! And dance! And put on show! Life on the farm transforms into a rehearsal space as Mikey and the pigs get ready for the big time—Broadway here they come! But will they make it off the farm in time to escape the evil Mr. Baconmaker? And will their dreams of fame and fortune come true? The Next Big Pigs is a zany adventure that will encourage young readers to find their voice and pursue their talents.

Ryan Uytdewilligen is an author, film historian, scriptwriter, Second City alum and sketch comedy writer from Alberta, Canada. With an encyclopedic knowledge for the Academy Awards and comedy movie history, his film journalism has appeared in publications including The Toronto Star, Whetstone Magazine, Certified Forgotten, The Chicago Tribune, Hollywood Progressive, Screen Rant, Taste of Cinema, and Why Now to name a few. He has published 6 books, both fiction and nonfiction, including 101 Most Influential Coming of Age Movies (Algora Publishing, 2016) and Killing John Wayne: The Making of The Conqueror (Lyons Press, 2021). His second novel Akela (BHC Press, 2019) earned numerous accolades including a nomination for the Pushcart Prize. Other works include The History of Lethbridge (non-fiction, 2020) – also carried at Tap Town Books – This is Not My Story (KidsCan, 2023), and The Next Big Pigs (Heritage House, 2026). Ryan currently teaches courses about sitcoms, cinema, and Saturday Night Live at Toronto Metropolitan University.