CHICKEN, PIG, COW'S FIRST FIGHT

The trio of best friends is back (Chicken, Pig, Cow on the Move, 2011), but this time the problem they solve is of their own making.

All three toys are impressed with the block city Girl has made, but Chicken declares it perfect only after he adds a chicken statue crafted from yellow leaves and red flowers. Meanwhile, Pig just can’t contain his enthusiasm. Predictably, his zip-zooming wrecks Chicken’s chicken. After the I-told-you-so’s and Pig’s failed attempt to repair the statue, a teary-eyed Pig runs off and gets out his manic energy in a few acts of derring-do that lead to the destruction of something much larger than a statue. Convinced of his innate badness, Pig hides under the couch. In the meantime, Chicken and Cow devise a way to keep Dog (who is real) from getting the blame. Pig’s eventual apology and request to help rebuild the statue are heartfelt, and his friends reassure him that he is not bad: “You’re a good friend who was in a bad, mad mood.” While this may be true of Pig’s destruction of the city, adults may need to address Pig’s initial poor decision to run around. Short sentences and simple vocabulary make this accessible for early readers. Ohi’s watercolors are as endearing as ever, watercolor strokes conveying the characters’ every emotion.

Ohi’s toys keep getting more real with every outing—what new problem will they tackle next? (Picture book. 1-5)