Playful Pigs

Children's Literature - Dianne Ochiltree

This delightful title in the "SandCastle Farm Pets" series from Abdo Publishing goes hog wild over a familiar barnyard favorite: pigs. Pigs are smart, loving and playful, all of which make them perfect pets. In the first section of this book, the text tells the real-life story of a pig, Mabel, and the little girl who owns her, Shelly. Young readers learn basic facts about a pig's diet, physiology, and behavior as they follow Shelly and Mabel on a typical day together. Beautiful full-color photography accompanies their nonfiction story. The second half is an adorable fiction story of Molly and the five little piggies she raised, told in rollicking rhyme and charming watercolor illustrations. The book closes with a listing of animal facts and a quick quiz. The language used throughout makes all the facts very understandable—and interesting—for its target audience. This is one book that can be read to pre-readers and then used again as reading material for emergent readers. A good choice for school or library. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree