Pignic

"More than a few readers will wish that their own picnics could end in a similarly messy manner, and even more will adore the easygoing exuberance of Phelan's story."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

It's a perfect day for a pignic!

A blue sky. A shady tree. A bright kite. And a full picnic basket. Four little pigs and their parents head outside to enjoy a beautiful day. With a little help from some new (and unexpected) friends, they climb trees, fly kites, and enjoy a delicious picnic. Even a sudden rain shower can't ruin their fun. Because rain means . . . MUD! Hooray!

The award-winning and New York Times-bestselling Matt Phelan has created a timeless, must-have picture book for the youngest reader. Expressive watercolors; a simple, repetitive text; and gentle, satisfying twists will delight fans of Tad Hills's Duck & Goose and Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama books.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1-A family of jovial pigs take advantage of the sunny weather by hosting a picnic. With a basket of food, they trundle from their cottage to the meadow, where several minor disasters strike. One pig gets stuck while climbing a tree, but a friendly tortoise assists. Phelan delightfully subverts expectations: a menacing wolf huffs and puffs...and helps the pigs' kite become airborne. And rain doesn't end the pals' wonderful day; it just gives them another fun activity: wallowing in the mud. The buoyant text is spare, with no more than a sentence per page, and the straightforward story is perfect for short attention spans. Soft, fuzzy illustrations depict cherubic, rosy-cheeked pigs having a wonderful time. Though the story is as simple as can be, Phelan's attention to background details is inspired and the composition and pacing are superb. VERDICT A stellar offering for the younger set, whether shared in storytime or read one-on-one.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

What's the difference between a picnic and a pignic, aside from the latter's predominance of porcine participants? With the simplest of texts and lighthearted, luminous watercolors, Phelan (What Are You Waiting For?) lets readers find parallels between their own outdoor festivities and those of his characters. Both bring out the best in everyone-the episodic structure features a handful of "uh-oh" moments, which are neatly and cheerfully resolved (a blue wolf who seems intent on eating the piglets has a change of heart and uses his huffing and puffing to help them fly a kite). The pigs wait out a sudden rainstorm in a tight, soaked huddle-a meteorologically and emotionally evocative watercolor, rendered in stormy streaks of brown and gray-and perk up when they realize that they're left with a family-size mud puddle. "What a perfect day for a pignic!" concludes Phelan, as the happily muddied pigs head home. More than a few readers will wish that their own picnics could end in a similarly messy manner, and even more will adore the easygoing exuberance of Phelan's story. Ages 4-8. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Publisher's Weekly Review