by JoAnn Wagner Sara Dean illustrated by David Darchicourt ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
A charming, frothy tale of a piglet’s antics in the tropics.
A porcine traveler visits another scenic locale for sunny thrills and a little bit of mischief in this seventh installment of a chapter book series.
Sir Pigglesworth and his family head to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ever excitable, Sir eagerly plans to enjoy snorkeling and swimming and soak up everything that the island has to offer. Imagine his surprise and delight when he runs into his old friends JoAnn and Bill in San Juan, too. They are there for a visit; JoAnn lived in the city as a child. Together, JoAnn, Bill, and Sir snorkel (the piglet is convinced a shark is out to get him, but it’s only a rock) and surf, and they even read to the children at JoAnn’s old school. They also savor sites like La Coca Falls, Old San Juan, and the El Yunque rain forest, and eat a delicious meal of rice and beans, chicken, and flan. But Sir gets into more trouble than he should—chasing animals, convincing himself that there are real-life butterflies in his stomach, and nearly knocking over an entire display of dresses. By the time he’s ready to give the graduation speech at a university (the whole point of his trip to Puerto Rico), he’s enjoyed many escapades—even though he failed to finally catch a lurking iguana. Seven books into this series, authors Wagner and Dean and illustrator Darchicourt (Sir Pigglesworth’s Adventures in Bermuda, 2016, etc.) have concocted even more capers for the main character. The authors’ vivid descriptions and depth of knowledge concerning Puerto Rico enhance the tale—thanks to the piglet’s exploits, families will likely be booking vacations there soon. This volume is part children’s story, part sightseeing guide. Some of Sir’s pranks read as a bit too silly. But it’s all in fun, and readers should have a fine time. The images bring a great deal of color to the story, especially when depicting the rain forest and the island’s assorted creatures. One caveat, though, involves how Darchicourt draws the characters of JoAnn and Bill. Meant to resemble Wagner and her husband, the illustrations look like caricatures, and they don’t really blend with the cartoon aspect of the rest of the pictures. But ultimately, Sir’s latest installment is an entertaining one that fans of the series should want to read.
A charming, frothy tale of a piglet’s antics in the tropics.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Sir Pigglesworth Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Dan Saks ; illustrated by Brooke Smart ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020
A joyful celebration.
Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.
The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together, frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.
A joyful celebration. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
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by Loren Long & illustrated by Loren Long ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2009
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
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