Me First is a 1992 children's book written by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger.
Pinkerton Pig always pushes his way to first place whenever anything comes up for grabs. However, he learns a lesson about not being so grabby when he runs into a sandwitch on the beach.
This book includes examples of the following tropes:
- Alliterative Name: The story's protagonist is a pig named Pinkerton.
- An Aesop: Don't insist on getting first dibs on everything — especially if you don't know what it is.
- Aesop Enforcer: The sandwitch lures Pinkerton into becoming her slave for the day, but lets him go at the end when he tells her he's learned his lesson about wanting to go first all the time.
- Catchphrase: Pinkerton commonly squeals "Me first!"
- Exact Words: Pinkerton gets into trouble when he runs toward a voice calling, "Who would care for a sandwitch?", thinking it's someone offering food. The stranger, a sandwitch, wants someone to do things for her.
- Made a Slave: A lighter example than most; the sandwitch lures Pinkerton in and forces him to spend the day catering to her. However, once he claims he's learned his lesson, she frees him at once.
- Punny Name: The pig the story follows is named Pinkerton, as in a color pigs are often drawn in.
- Token Human: The sandwitch is the only character in the book not drawn as an animal.
