Pig the Pug

PreS-Gr 2—Pig, a greedy little pug, lives with Trevor, an amiable dachshund. While Pig has an assorted array of goodies—toy bones, balls, chew toys—he refuses to share the wealth with Trevor. When Pig's companion gently attempts to persuade the pug that playing together might be fun, Pig explodes. He jumps on top of a gigantic pile of his loot, jealously guarding it from Trevor—and soon finds that pride goes before a (painful) fall. The story is straightforward and fun, though the text, told in rhyming verse, is occasionally strained ("And once he had gathered them/up in a pile,/he howled from the top/with a satisfied smile."). The rich, saturated acrylic artwork has a caricaturelike feel and will invite giggles of delight from readers and listeners. Plump Pig is particularly exaggerated, with bulging eyes, a protruding tongue, and a manic expression as he gestures wildly atop his mountain of toys. Young children will revel in his unapologetically naughty antics and might even learn a lesson or two about the value of sharing.