THIS LITTLE PIGGY

The lead singer of the indie rock band Les Savy Fav takes some time to consider the secret lives of toes.

Everyone knows the standard “This Little Piggy” rhyme. What we might not have realized is that long after the final “Wee! Wee! Wee!” the toes on the second foot want to have a little fun of their own. Not content to merely dine and take trips to the market, however, these piggies go in for disco dancing, painting and even selling hot dogs. Not to be outdone, the toes on the first foot attempt even wilder antics, like go-kart racing and a secret superhero career. Finally, at the end of the day, all the toes are exhausted, so they all get ready for bed. The sheer exuberance of these digits buoys much of the read. Harrington’s simple, colorful digital artwork complements the action remarkably well. Many of the rhymes in the book are near misses, but that’s true for the original nursery rhyme, too. Once the text gets to the little toes, an amusing overabundance of page-dominating text comes off as funny (though it is inexplicably split into multiple sentences, where a single run-on text may have been a more effective choice).

The shoe is on the other foot when these talented piggies get their due, so consider this for storytimes or households that need an extra kick.