Pig
the Pug by Aaron Blabey (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74362-477-7
Reviewed by Jenny
Heslop
This is an absolutely delightful book. Pig is a pug dog who will not
share. He is selfish and rude and in the end receives his comeuppance in a most
unexpected, humorous and satisfying way.
Told in rhyme which rolls off the tongue smoothly, the sing-song rhythm
creates an atmosphere of immediacy and just begs to be read aloud over and over
again.
He lived in a flat
with sausage dog, Trevor.
But when was he nice to him?
I’ll tell you – NEVER.
Young children will identify with the behaviours displayed by both Pig
and Trevor, recognising which ones are unreasonable and antisocial.
The illustrations are big and bold and funny. Trevor with his glorious
toothy smile will grab hearts immediately, while fat wrinkly Pig with his big
eyes and big frown hugs his bowl of food or toys to his chest. It is a story
which could be followed through the pictures alone which emphasise the humour
of the text on every page. I cannot remember loving an ending to a picture book more and the
concept that pigs cannot fly is used so effectively without it feeling like a
cliché.
Ultimately a story about sharing and bad puppies coming to a sticky
ending, this is such a fun book. I giggle each time I get to the end. Children
from the age of three and up will appreciate the humour, the concept and the
cheekiness of this fabulous rollicking story.
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