"A Day No Pigs Would Die" by Robert Newton Peck and "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel are 2 short novels that offer treasures in the form of many lessons in life to share in the language arts classroom. These two rich novels can serve as sources for multicultural understanding of rural and urban life, as well as for interpreting the protagonists' growth through life experiences. An integrated curriculum can enhance the meaning of the 2 novels for the language arts class as students participate in Robert's and John's quest for identity and adulthood within the contexts of social studies, home and family living, and agricultural studies. In the contexts of multicultural education, the study of these works will enhance multicultural understandings by helping students participate in the aesthetic experiences of at least one other ethnic group. They will experience diverse perspectives of one extreme of ruralism contrasted to the epitome of urbanism on Staten Island. They will encounter a different religious point of view of the Shakers. And, finally, students will be exposed to standard American dialect versus a local New England dialect as a legitimate medium of communication. Through the personal experiences of Peck, students can look at a rural existence that many will find harsh and manual. The more cosmopolitan view of Zindel's insights were inspired by his life among the very diverse and dense populations of Staten Island. (Includes 10 notes.) (TB)