Princess? I Think Not!

It's hard to believe twelve years have come and gone since the world was first introduced to one of the spunkiest pigs to hit the picture book scene.  Olivia (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, October 2000), written and illustrated by Ian Falconer, named after his niece, garnered a 2001 Caldecott Honor award.   Five picture books, several board books, an inspirational quotes book and even a paper theater later, her popularity continues to grow.

What draws readers to this one-of-a-kind porcine personality is her indomitable spirit, her deep desire to be her own unique self and her attitude to not just do something, but to do it bigger and better than anyone else; not because it's a competition but because that's who she is.  Never have these qualities been more manifest than they are in the newest title, Olivia and the Fairy Princesses (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, August 28, 2012).  Olivia has a problem and readers follow along as she reaches a solution that is the essence of Olivia.


Olivia was depressed.

Proclaiming to her family that she is having an identity crisis, not knowing what she should be, her father reminds her she will always be his little princess.  But from Olivia's viewpoint this is the problem, a capital B I G problem. It seems being a princess is on all girls' minds.

At the last birthday gathering she was surrounded by a sea of pink tutus, miniature crowns and star-topped wands.  As readers know Olivia is not a pink kind of person much preferring her splashes of red or sporting an outfit better suited to her sense of fashion for the moment.  At the school recital everyone wants to be the fairy princess ballerina but not Olivia.

Having outgrown her own desire to be a ballerina, she would rather mirror the movements of modern dance.  As bath and bedtime approach Olivia continues to lament her circumstances to her ever tolerant mother reminding her of her Halloween costume as a warthog rather than conforming to the pink princess crowd.  Olivia cannot understand why everyone wants to be the same.

Bedtime fairy tales add fuel to the flame until her mother, losing patience at this point, tells her the story of The Little Match Girl.  An active imagination keeps our favorite pig from falling asleep in her mother's desired five minute time frame.  What can I be? Maybe this? Or that? Or how about?  And then the solution pops into her mind in all its brilliance.  As usual Olivia aims high, all the way to the top.


Ian Falconer's storytelling is driven by his characters' attributes, their dialogue and thoughts.  He injects humor throughout in Olivia's questions and in her responses to situations and events.  At times a single sentence can pack a powerful punch.  His introduction of words outside the realm of a normal picture book reader's vocabulary is a plus.  This statement of her clothing worn to the party is Olivia in a nutshell.

"I choose a simple French sailor shirt, matador pants,
 black flats, a strand of pearls, sunglasses, a red bag,
 and my gardening hat."


Enhancing the focus of the storyline Ian Falconer chooses to have not even the slightest hint of red on his jacket and matching cover for this title.  The endpapers are done in a pale pink with a darker shade of pink stars scattered over the pages.  The title page is a reverse repeat of the cover, Olivia clearly not happy with what she sees in the mirror.

Portraying the depth of Olivia's dilemma, Falconer opens with her lying on her back, arms outstretched dressed in her signature red and white striped, one piece pajamas with Harry, the family dog, and Edwin, the family cat, watching on the sidelines.  Rendering all the illustrations in charcoal and gouache with liberal use of white space Falconer places them across two pages, a single page, double or multiple insets on a page, and oval vignettes in black and white with added bright colors for accent. For Halloween, night and the fairy tale page he uses darker shading as a background to create atmosphere.  As in other titles a photographic image is used.


Without a doubt Ian Falconer's pigs and their expressions are priceless but none more so than Olivia.  Olivia and the Fairy Princesses is a fresh breath of independence in word and pictures.  Follow the link attached to Ian Falconer to access the official Olivia website.  This is a link to Ian Falconer: By The Book, The New York Times, Sunday Book Review.  Publishers Weekly did a Q & A with Ian Falconer.  Both interviews were done this past August.  At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  For those true blue fans check out these pages of Olivia fabric creations here and here.  Who knew she had her own fabric line?

He's Big, He's Bad And He's Back!

Yes, I'm talking about the wolf.  Oh, he's shifted shape from time to time; a coyote, a shark, a big-bottomed boar, a wrecking ball, an eagle, a tyrannosaurus and in a real switcheroo, a pig.  To be sure, he's struck terror in many a critter's (truck's) heart.

This time, though, from the get-go, he's met his match.  He's huffed and puffed one too many times.  The Three Ninja Pigs (G. P. Putnam's Sons, September 27, 2012) written by Corey Rosen Schwartz with illustrations by Dan Santat gives this fairy tale a fun, feisty flip.

Once upon a dangerous time,
a wolf loved to huff and to puff.
He'd go around town
and blow houses down
till three little pigs cried,
ENOUGH!

This trio, two brothers and their sister, know what to do--Ninja school.  Two weeks of basic aikido for Pig Number One has him bored, without knowing the score. Not nearly enough learning jujitsu by Pig Number Two nevertheless has him pumped with bravado, going out the door.  Months go by as Pig Number Three perfects every stance, legs and arms moving in a flawless karate dance.

All believe they're ready until you-know-who comes a howling.  A fist hits air, a foot gets stuck.  Pigs One and Two have run out of luck.  As they scuttle to safety, Pig Number Three definitely needed, greets Mr. Wolf with a stare and a dare, a warning to be heeded.

As she whirls and dips to demonstrate, the foolish lupine is unafraid.  It's the final fierce chop that makes him think and stop.  Though fractured, this story of the fairy-tale three ends better than well; the ending....I'll never tell.


If you close your eyes and listen to the rhyming words, Corey Rosen Schwartz has created a rhythmic text not unlike the various moves made in the martial arts studied by her porcine protagonists.  Never faltering in the flawless flow, she presents an original setting, a strong female figure appreciated by two, less productive brothers and endless action.  With dialogue reflective of the culture and customs as well as character traits, this narrative never misses a beat.

The teacher said, "Excellent progress.
But Pig-san, you must study more."
Pig Two said, "No way.
Sayonara, Sensei!
I'm ready to settle a score."


From cover to cover (jacket flaps, too) Dan Santat, using Sumi brush work on rice paper with completion in Adobe Photoshop, superbly portrays the essence of the country in which this tale is set with a vibrant color palette.  Beginning and closing endpapers feature a panoramic view of mountains, a field, a bamboo forest and a groove of cherry trees in which the characters's homes, the Ninja school and town is located.  The theme continues as the dedications are shown on scrolls opposite the Three Pigs in meditative poses beneath the title.

The first two page spread, of ten, pictures the larger than life wolf blowing houses down as a lighter background for the Three Pigs raising their arms and voices in outrage.  This initial scene sets the tone for the entire story; expressive facial features, proper attire and bodies in explosive motion.  Altering perspective, inserting smaller visuals within a larger illustration, and odd shaped panels increases tension and brings the story right to the reader. No detail is overlooked; a Japanese crane as one of the animals in the aikido studio.

When you combine the talented writing of Corey Rosen Schwartz with the signature artwork of Dan Santat there is only one word to describe the fractured fun of The Three Ninja Pigs---KIYA!

For more information on both Rosen and Santat please go to the embedded links in their names above to view their websites.  Both were interviewed separately about this title on the blogs of the dynamic reading duo, Mr. John Schumacher and Mr. Colby Sharp.  To read the interview of Corey Rosen Schwartz follow the link attached to Mr. Schu's name.  Dan Santat's interview can be read by following the link in Mr. Sharp's name.

Look Out! Pig On The Loose!

Clearly I have a passion for pigs, at least as characters in books. (Memories of driving by their farms in the community near my childhood home are clearly cemented in my olfactory files.  Phew!)  I have posted about the middle grade novels, The Adventures of Nanny Piggins and Nanny Piggins and the Wicked Plan written by R. A. Spratt with hilarious illustrations by Dan Santat, a porker opposed to being clean, Pirates Don't Take Baths written and illustrated by John Segal, a new take on The Three Little Pigs in Emily Gravett's Wolf Won't Bite!, a barnyard group loving their dirt at all costs in Hogwash! by Karma Wilson with illustrations that tickle the funny bone by Jim McMullan, a spooky snack lover in Hampire! by Sudipata Bardhan-Quallen with expressive pictures by Howard Fine, siblings reluctantly surfing in the delightful Pig Kahuna written and illustrated by Jennifer Sattler, the precocious Olivia Goes to Venice written and illustrated by Ian Falconer and those cooks, Piggies in the Kitchen, by Michelle Meadows with laughable visuals by Ard Hoyt.  So it goes without saying, when I saw the cover displaying an undiscovered "pig" book at my public library, I stopped in my tracks.

The very same day, John Schumacher, K-5 librarian and blogger at Watch. Connect. Read. posted this on Twitter.  I know it as much as the next person, having continually reminded my students over the years and mentioned it previously on my blog, you can't judge a book by its cover.  I double dog dare you, no I triple hog challenge you, to not pick up I Know a Wee Piggy (Dial Books for Young Readers)written by Kim Norman with pictures by Henry Cole once you've feasted your eyes on the pig, front and center, ears spread like wings, wide-eyed with the goofiest grin plastered on his face.

I know a wee piggy...
who wallowed in BROWN.
Upside down, he wallowed in brown.
"But brown is not for me," he said. "I think I'll add a rinse of ..."

It's off to the fair, it's that time of year here too, for a red and white checked, shirt-wearing boy with his prize pig in hand. This squirmy little bundle of squeaky-clean pinkness has other plans.  The first puddle of mud he can find is like pure heaven.

Scampering through the vegetable displays ablaze in red, off to the cow barn for a bit of white, diving into the tufts of cotton candy for sticky puffs of pink, this little porker is on the run grinning at all his fun.  Each time he encounters another part of the fair, a new colorful coat is added to his body. Layer upon layer, like skins on an onion, paint, grass, clay and a scarf collide in brilliance.

There's no stopping this artistic endeavor!  But wait, oh, no...pigs can swim?  Who knew?  His last blast is into blue...in more ways than one.

Using the familiar format and her own special take on I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, author Kim Norman takes readers on a tantalizing tour in this tale of basic tints and tones.  Rhyming lines create a cumulative rhythm like a hand motioning readers to join the romp.  Expressive verbs, shout, sigh and bellow, underscore the persistence of this pig.

Royal purple endpapers provide a hint as to the outcome.   The sure, black lines done by Henry Cole's hand within the pages provide the playful, purposeful outline for the bright hues of his illustrations rendered in acrylic paints and colored pencil.  The facial expressions on the rascally porcine couldn't be better; he's clearly filled with unadulterated joy as everyone else is aghast.

Cole uses white space to his advantage illuminating the color words in the exact color; showcasing each line as it is added with a spot illustrations of the most recent improvements, so to speak.  On the left side are full color visuals bleeding out to the edge, showcasing the free-for-all fair escapades.  Sometimes this pattern is mixed up with two page spreads for emphasis and an extra dose of laughter.

Author Kim Norman and illustrator Henry Cole have crafted a surefire winner in I Know a Wee Piggy introducing colors, a trip to the country fair, and a wayward pig bent on seeing the sights, bringing newness to a beloved tune.  This title is guaranteed to bring about laughter, singing and probably a bit of dancing.  Tra...la...la...
Please follow the links to the author's and illustrator's websites embedded in their names.  Kim Norman has plenty of additional resources for educators to use in connection to her books.

Guard Your Chocolate! She's Back!

You have nannies who fly in with the East Wind holding an umbrella,  ask you to list your favorite things, live in the Plaza Hotel with Eloise or have a magical walking stick and warts that vanish when a lesson is learned.  But there is one particular nanny in a class all by herself; first because she's a pig and second because nothing she does is anything short of audacious with a capital "A".  Readers were first introduced to this particular, prominent porcine in The Adventures of Nanny Piggins written by R. A. Spratt, illustrated by Dan Santat. 

We can all join in the the joy experienced daily by the Green children, Derrick, Samantha, and Michael, in welcoming her back in Nanny Piggins and The Wicked Plan (Little, Brown and Company) written by R. A. Spratt with illustrations by Dan Santat, released less than a month ago.  Mr. Green is still his heartless, slightly insane self, but now instead of hoping for a human nanny, he has decided he will find a wife.  Boris, the ten-foot-tall, ballet-dancing bear from Nanny Piggins's circus, her brother (don't ask, just read) is now an integral part of events; still remaining undiscovered by the distant elder Green. 


In twelve action-packed, never-a-dull-moment chapters, Nanny Piggins attempts and succeeds in one harebrained scheme after another.  Because, it goes without saying, Nanny Piggins always has a plan, even if formulating one as she goes along.  It begins with the Green children, Boris and Nanny Piggins actually babysitting an infant girl belonging to Mrs. Pettigrain, one of Mr. Green's prospects for wifedom.  Imagine when the porker's plan for play involving a television commercial works out for everyone but Mr. Green. (tee-hee)

Pretending to be pirates, ends up not digging a hole to China but involving a prison break and sticky buns. Whether Dead Man's Gorge is lined up with cannons (one stolen), an old family cookie recipe theft is resolved, personal ads go haywire, the medicinal uses of cake are punctuating a point or sniffing out a fortune for Chef Pierre, these characters are living lively lives.  Of course, Nanny Piggins delivers her own brand of justice when she is summoned to jury duty.

Her old nemesis, Nanny Anne, is back on the scene, arrogant as ever; rest assured the international Westminster Nanny Show is never going to be quite the same. When a gypsy queen sets her sights on Mr. Green, the riotous rescue pulls out all the stops.  Nancy Piggins is quite the persistent pig; always getting her cake (preferably chocolate) and eating it too, even if she bakes it herself.

R. A. Spratt, has perfected her personalities in this sequel to the first title with hoot-hollering dialogue and delectable descriptions. Her two page, Previously On Nanny Piggins..., is a genuine segue into this title, a title replete with small type asides sprinkled throughout adding to what I call the laughter factor.  While Nanny Piggins may have an unorthodox method of nannying, she does pass on true wisdom on occasion.

Here are a couple of passages to showcase the writing of R. A. Pratt. (I really wanted to show you more but hope these will entice you to get a copy of the book ASAP.)

Simply put, when Nanny Piggins blasted out of the cannon, the children had no idea where she went.  All they saw was a streak of pink pig flying across the sky at the speed of light.  She passed over Dead Man's Gorge and kept flying until she was a tiny pink dot disappearing over the horizon.
"Uh-oh!" said Derrick.
"Oh no!" said Samantha.
"Cool!" said Michael.
Boris did not say anything because he was too busy whimpering with his paws over his eyes.

But it was not just Nanny Piggins's appearance that won him over.  He also fell in love with her educational theories.  He approved of her decision to take all the school's required English texts and run them through a wood chipper.  Both because the pages provided excellent mulch for the school gardens and because she allowed the children to read books they might actually enjoy, having formed the radical theory that if children were allowed to enjoy reading, they were likely to read more.

What truly takes this title to the top are the illustrations by Dan Santat.  His full-color cover reaches out and grabs you.  Distinctive black and white graphics inside are tingling with emotion and humor.

Each chapter beginning features one of his spot illustrations foreshadowing events.  Within each chapter is a full page illustration framed by straight lines and embellished corners.  It's a good thing I was not snacking or sipping a drink when the picture of Nanny Piggins with bananas stuffed up her snout, blasting across the gorge or Boris trying to hide under a rug, a third of his size, came into view.


I can say in all honesty I laughed aloud more times than I can remember reading this title. The side of my copy, filled with small sticky notes, looks much like a porcupine with quills spread.  I highly recommend Nanny Piggins and the Wicked Plan by R. A. Spratt with illustrations by Dan Santat for an individual read or as a read aloud.  You might want to play the sound track from The Pirates of the Caribbean as an announcement to a read aloud each time before you begin; the episodes are that good.

Oh, and be sure to visit R. A. Spratt's website for more information about Nanny Piggins.  It looks like there are more books in her future. Dan Santat's website is linked above, too.  He is the creator of the book trailer below.

Avast Me Hearties!

The clock is ticking toward the deadline for voting in the 2012 Children's Choice Books Awards.  The polls close on May 3, 2012.  Another outstanding candidate in the lineup under the K-2nd grade group is Pirates Don't Take Baths (Philomel Books) written and illustrated by John Segal.

As the words, "It's bath time", echo upstairs and downstairs, through hallways and in and out of rooms, a signal for an ongoing conflict between parents and children has been issued.  A struggle that's a real head-scratcher when you consider at the sight of the nearest puddle, children are in and splashing about in a New York minute.  A piglet forcefully declares:

No! No! No!
I'm not taking a bath.
Not tonight.  Not tomorrow.  Never.

When his mother questions, Never?, he answers with a disgusted expression on his face, clad in a pirate's tricorn, eye patch in place, sword raised high, enumerating what pirates do but taking a bath is definitely not one of them.  When she counters he adroitly switches occupations.  Now cowboys don't take baths.

This little guy changes his identity, careers and where he lives, like a chameleon does colors.  He shifts from cowboy to Eskimo to knight to living in the desert to being an astronaut and on to a treasure hunter.  As quickly as he transforms his patient mother responds to the point where both are ecstatic, each for reasons of their own.

Sudsy cover lettering followed by pale blue endpapers, front and back, replete with soap bubbles plunge readers into the bath-time battle of imagination versus reality.  Pencil and watercolor illustrations, usually two-page spreads, at times employing lots of white space, depict every nuance of the persistent porcine's avoidance of the tub.  His facial expressions and body language, when his mother's voice of reason intrudes, are hilarious with a capital H.

Author/illustrator, John Segal, has created a book, Pirates Don't Take Baths, brimming with riches, you won't even have to dive to reach.  Just open the cover and I double dare you not to laugh.  By visiting Segal's website linked above you can view more pictures from this title as well as his others; a true treat.

Surf's Up!

Sun, sand, sea, surf, shells, seaweed and Saturday surround readers of Jennifer Sattler's new title, Pig Kahuna. This play on the term Big Kahuna, king of surfers, follows seaside treasure seekers, Fergus and his diaper-clad younger brother on a single, sunny day.

The two never venture into the water but wait along the shore as the rolling waves deposit wealth for their taking. To their wonder a true find appears---a surfboard. Waiting, watching no one shows. It tops all their riches of the afternoon on a little red wagon as they stroll along the beach.

The brothers discover multiple uses for the surfboard other than actually putting it in the water. As Fergus says of the ocean: There was a lurking, murky ickiness. It's becomes their friend. They name it Dave.

When Fergus goes to bring the duo a treat, chunky chocolate Chattanooga chew-chew chip ice cream, Dink thinks that Dave is loosing his luster and sets him free back into the water. Walking back, cones in hand, Fergus is shocked to find Dave heading out to sea. With a shout and no thought of himself he swims out to rescue his newest buddy.

Before he knows what's happening Fergus is sailing the crests. Soon the two are discovering more than they thought possible.

Art created by Sattler using acrylics and colored pencils gives readers wide-eyed, perky eared, expressive piggies that never fail to bring a smile. Alternating between single and double page spreads, framing with white space or bleeding off the page, Sattler perfectly aligns each with the flow of her story. Add in the choice of color bringing this charming tale from the sandy shore straight into our hearts.

So crank up this video and turn the pages of Pig Kahuna for a jubilant ride.

She's Back!

Irresistible, unpredictable, hilarious Olivia has returned.  What's not to love about her newest antics in Olivia Goes To Venice (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, September 28, 2010) Using bright splashes of red, Olivia's favorite color (and mine), to draw the readers' eye into the illustrations journey with Olivia and her family through the streets and canals of Venice as they are superimposed amid actual photographs.  Beginning with packing for the trip, Olivia, you won't be needing your snorkel, said her mother, or your flippers.  Mother, apparently the city is often under and water and--------- Or your water skis, readers will smile at each conversational exchange, facial expression and typical tourist experience.

As crossings over bridges are made, a stop at the Grand Canal with palazzos lining its edges, walking through the Piazza of San Marco or a hair-raising episode with pigeons, a generous helping of gelanto seems to be the outcome.
 When a gondola ride is secured, this overindulgence causes the boat to sink lower than usual.  This results in the gondolier suffering considerable stress and the reader extra smileage.  It is Olivia's quest for the perfect souvenir that brings forth the final laugh and a quick exit by the family back to the airport.  Venice will definitely remember Olivia as will we all. 

At Olivia's web site information about Ian Falconer and all things Olivia can be accessed.  There is a special link for teachers and librarians.  Check it out.

At the publisher's website you can view interior images.  There are several activity kits you can download also.  Not to be missed is this YouTube video highlighting this new offering as well as Ian Falconer's basis for Olivia books.