Saturday, February 28, 2015

Oink Oink! March 1 is National Pig Day

When I'm at a loss for topics to blog about, I consult the Brownie Locks website. I'm guaranteed to find something that will inspire a post. When I learned that March 1 is National Pig Day, I immediately knew that I had tons of fabulous children's books to discuss!

If you think Babe (the movie) is adorable and clever (which it is!), you need to read the book upon which it was based. Although a story about a pig saved by the cleverness of a fellow farm animal sounds awfully familiar, Dick King-Smith's tale of a sheep-herding pig is hilarious, charming, original, and has one of the most satisfying endings in children's literature.



Charlotte's Web is inarguably the ultimate children's novel about a pig (and perhaps the biggest upset in Newbery Medal history).  If you reread it, you'll be struck by its timelessness and maturity. E.B. White's recording is worth a listen. If children's literature history is an interest, you need to read The Story of Charlotte's Web  to learn about the creation of this modern classic.

Who's the best pig detective in the world? Mercy Watson, that's who! I regularly recommend the Mercy Watson series for families who want to start chapter book read-alouds as well as independent readers ready for chapter books.


Elephant (also known as Gerald) and Piggie is one of the most consistently funny and clever couples in children's books. Although they are quite different (Gerald is a bit more high-strung and goofy at times), they are forever friends. My favorite is We Are in a Book, which is quite meta.

Olivia (the original is a 2001 Caldecott Honor book) turns 15 this year, but this spunky pig (who's very good at "wearing people out")  is still going strong!


Piggies in Pajamas is one of my favorite "not so sleepy" bedtime stories. This rollicking and rhyming story of a bunch of rambunctious pigs who are definitely not interested in bedtime requires some practice if you don't want to trip over your tongue while reading it aloud.

Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! is a great read aloud for preschool and elementary school children; they will love this tale of partying pigs and the hapless man whose house they invade.


Finally, if you're in the mood for some porcine-related nonfiction, check these out:


Dick King-Smith's novels often included pigs, but did you know that he wrote an adorable nonfiction title about one of his favorite animals?  All Pigs Are Beautiful is suitable for newly independent readers who want to learn about the habits of these fascinating creatures.


Gail Gibbons's books are ideal for young independent readers. Pigs teaches readers about the typical characteristics of pigs, their life cycle, and their intelligence.

Although there may not be any pig-related books in this week's edition of Wowbrary, I can guarantee that there are some awesome titles to discover.

I participated in Grace Miller Elementary's Family Reading Night last Tuesday and had a fabulous time. I wrote about several of my read aloud choices in an ALSC post about funny read alouds for elementary school children. Check out the comments for more great suggestions.

Jennifer Schultz, Youth Services Librarian, Fauquier County Public Library









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