Oh, the things you learn from Chase’s Calendar of Events. When I need inspiration for library programming or display ideas, I often consult Chase’s Calendar of Events or my favorite online source for holidays, Brownie Locks. Fans of all things porcine undoubtedly know that March 1 is Pig Day. What better way to mark the occasion than to discuss some awesome piggy picture books? After all, children’s literature is just bursting with fabulous literary piggies: Olivia, Babe, Mercy Watson, Mo Willems’s Piggie, those three little pigs of folktale fame, and, of course, Wilbur (celebrating 60 years of terrific-ness this October), just to name a few.
Poor Little Runt is squished and squashed seven ways to Sunday in this rollicking story in rhyme. One by one, his sisters and brothers are pushed out. Ahhhh…now there’s plenty of room….but now it’s quite cold and lonely! This naturally lends itself to singing “10 in a Bed” after reading the story (confession: I do “5 in a Bed” for my toddler story time!)
Can You Make a Piggy Giggle? is out of print, which is a shame, since this is a silly-crazy story perfect for a pig-themed story time. A young boy does all sorts of shenanigans in order to make a grouchy pig smile. His animals friends try to help him out, but it’s no use–or is it? Be sure to practice this one a few times before introducing it in your story time; the rhymes can trip up even the most seasoned reader.
Antoinette Portis’s follow-up to Not a Box is just as fun and creative as its predecessor. When warned about the consequences of waving a stick around, a little pig retorts that it’s not a stick. Oh, it’s all sorts of things, but it’s definitely, absolutely, 100% not a stick.
Why on earth would a pig parade be a terrible idea? Well, for one thing, pigs don’t march. They snuffle. And they don’t like marching band music; country music is more to their liking. The explanations get sillier and sillier, and the illustrations get wilder and wilder. Guaranteed to bring on the giggles.
Do you have any favorite pig-related picture books? Let’s discuss in the comments section.
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Not only is Mo Willems’s Piggie a wonderful piggie, but he has a book called Happy Pig Day! Seems like a must-read today!
You mentioned Mo Willems’s Piggie and I have to say that the Elephant and Piggie books are some of my very favorites! I love There is a Bird On Your Head and I am Invited to a Party (and of course, we can’t forget Happy Pig Day!).
Another favorite of mine is My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza!