Nanny Piggins and The Accidental Blast-off

Nanny Piggins and The Accidental Blast-off by R.A Spratt (Random House)

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-1-8647-1859-1

Reviewed by Oliver Phommavanh

Nanny Piggins and The Accidental Blast-off is the fourth instalment of the proudly un-PC series. You don’t have to read any earlier books, each book have short stories that are self-contained in themselves. It’ll just take a few pages for readers to warm up to everyone’s favourite piggy nanny, with an insatiable appetite for cakes.

Nanny Piggins leads the Green children on merry adventures, skipping school and trying to avoid Mr Green, their unreliable and overworked father. However, Mr Green is in the running for the Best Father of the Year competition and is forced to spend time with the children. Derrick, Samantha and Michael are equally disgusted too. The competition is the running joke throughout the book.

R.A Spratt has nailed all of the characters in this series and it’s a delight to see her place them in more outrageous situations. Nanny Piggins signs up to the lollypop lady because she thinks she’ll have a giant lollipop to hold. When she finds out the truth, she takes her wooden stop sign and finds better things to stop than just traffic. It’s a wild idea that keeps growing and growing.

The title refers to a story that sees her being the first pig in space. Nanny Piggins puts authority figures in their place, from the head of NASA to the ‘Steel Chef’ in a parody of the popular cooking show.   

Nanny Piggins’ fans will love the devilish lines scattered on every page. There are so many jokes crammed in each story. If you think you’ll get used to Spratt’s eccentric pace and wit, she’ll hit you with clever lines that make you stop and take time to laugh.

Nanny Piggins' adventures are the stand-out humour series for the past two years. It’s for anyone who wants a belly laugh or a riveting read that isn’t afraid to say things that are on kids’ minds. It’s highly recommended for ages 9 and up.