Digger Pig and the Turnip (by Caron Lee Cohen)

DIGGER PIG AND THE TURNIP is not very surprising, funny, or original, but it does help kids hone early-reading skills. In addition to employing abundant dialogue, the book uses repetition of phrases and one or two challenging or unfamiliar words that may require sounding out, like the names Chirper and Quacker.

One six-year-old got as far as page five before she realized the story's inspiration. "Hey, this is just like 'Little Red Hen'!" Rather than being confused or discouraged, she was interested enough in the new slant on an old favorite to be willing to read the book again. This young critic liked how the pictures were "painted softly" (an effect illustrator Christopher Denise accomplished using colored pencils). The images, with faded edges, blend into their white backgrounds.