Piggy's Birthday Dream

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A group of animal pals band together to surprise a super-shy friend on her birthday in this gentle, somewhat slight story from the Netherlands. Piggy is so shy that she runs away when other animals come to play and blushes when she sees herself in the mirror. On her birthday Piggy dreams of "herselfall aloneand wished she had some friends to play with." Spetter, in her first picture book, cleverly plants clues to the imminent surprise (e.g., Duck and Frog peek in from the lower left corner of a double-page spread while Piggy sings "Happy Birthday to me"; and the two, joined by Sheep and Chicken, watch Piggy dream). The artist's blueberry, melon green and pumpkin colors envelope the animal characters in full-bleed spreads. When Frog, Duck, Hedgehog, Sheep and the rest are ready to party, they call the guest of honor, who "was so happy she forgot all about being shy." De Vries's (My Elephant Can Do Almost Anything) depiction of the introverted Piggy will ring true for the painfully shy, and Spetter's quietly comic scenes keep the tone lighthearted. Ages 3-8. (Aug.)

Children's Literature - Jeanne K. Pettenati

An extremely shy pig overcomes her shyness when friends throw a surprise birthday party. Piggy is transformed after a birthday dream about the fun other animals have when they play makes her wish she weren't so lonely. When the animals wake Piggy up to celebrate her birthday, she is so happy that she loses her inhibitions. Piggy's new friends in this charming picture book are frogs, chickens, ducks, a hedgehog, sheep, and cow. The illustrations depict the exuberance of animals being playful and silly. Kids will love the fanciful pictures of frogs being swept up into the air by balloons, chickens playing with eggs, and ducks walking on a tightrope. The animals bring party hats, confetti, noisemakers, and a cake to the party. The book sends a positive message to shy children. The animals care about Piggy and value her friendship and want her to join their circle.

School Library Journal

PreS--Too bashful to even look in the mirror, Piggy can't imagine inviting anyone to a birthday party and celebrates only in her dreams. However, her neighbors--Duck, Cow, Frog, Hedgehog, Sheep, and the many barnyard chickens--take matters into their own hands and Piggy is "so happy she forgot all about being shy." Their celebration echoes images in her dreams, complete with floating balloons, colorful streamers, clattering drums, decorative hats, and a yummy strawberry cake, and everyone--especially Piggy--has a glorious time. Spetter's backgrounds are layered swathes of pastel colors, just right for the agile lines and light-and-frothy hues she uses in illustrating the story. There is no lesson to be learned here, just a simple but amusing tale about enjoying a birthday. Libraries needing another treat to add to their birthday-party shelves for preschoolers will find that this import from the Netherlands has universal appeal.--Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI