Pigs in Pajamas

October 15, 2012
Presenting a precious piggy pajama party. Penelope Pig is having a sleepover party with all of her pig friends. Everyone arrives in their pajamas (one each dressed in paisley, plaid, patchwork, pink, pinstripe, polka-dot and posy print). "Pigs come with presents of all shapes and sizes-- / peppermints, posies, a peach lollipop. // Penelope's ready with punch, pies, and pudding; / there's pasta and pizza with pickles on top!" They pig out and play pin the tail on the donkey. They prance to songs from the piano and make a piggy pile in the middle of the floor. Finally, when pooped, they plump pillows and drift off to sleep. Author and illustrator Smith's paean to the 16th letter of the alphabet is a pleasing porcine romp that only occasionally stretches for the rhyme. The watercolor-and-collage illustrations, all full bleed, are packed with P's, most of which are listed on the last page (in order of appearance); perfect for turning subsequent readings into seek-and-find games. Even the piggy proclamations appearing in the illustrations are replete with P's. Practicable if not peerless practice for picking up plosives. (Picture book. 2-5)

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November 1, 2012

PreS-Cheerful porkers on every page eat peaches and pistachios, play with pianos and pinatas, and primp in pinstripe and polka-dot pajamas. A mixture of collage and cartoonlike artwork, the illustrations create a kind of seek-and-find for items beginning with the letter "P." The rhyme scheme labors inconsistently, with some lines rhyming on the same spread, while others require a page turn to finish the verse. The lack of discernible rhythm makes this title unlikely to become a favorite read-aloud. Smith's audience seems to be educators working with preschoolers on letter recognition, not the preschoolers themselves. For better alliterative picture books choose Barbara deRubertis's "Animal Antics A to Z" series (Kane). It has the one "P" word that Smith forgot: plot.-Jenna Boles, Washington-Centerville Public Library, OH

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