These Little Piggies Go to the Beach

May 1, 2018

Toddler-PreS-A retelling of the "This Little Piggie" rhyme that follows the traditional formula but changes what the piggies are up to. Join the Piggie family as they drive to the beach, build a sandcastle, play beach ball, accidently destroy said sandcastle, and proceed to build a magnificent sand palace. The text and vocabulary used is simple and easy to follow, always appearing in its own space and following the rhythm of the original rhyme. It works well to tell the story, and Davenier provides extra context through her delightfully energetic illustrations. She even uses full spreads, without text, to transition the scenes from one rhyme to the next. This allows readers to infer the Piggie family's emotions at certain points and allows them to guess what will happen next. The text is further supported by the bright, warm colors used to solidly place readers in the middle of a hot summer day. Together, Sklansky and Davenier have created a charming adaptation of a classic rhyme that will make readers want to wiggle their toes all the way to the beach. VERDICT An excellent seasonal retelling of "This Little Piggie" to entertain young children who are excited about a visit to the beach.-Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.