Piggie Pie
Raucous read-aloud spooks some, enchants others.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that sensitive kids may not be ready for the scary-looking witch or Big Bad Wolf in this story. But just like the movie Monsters, Inc., this silly book helps kids make light of things they find scary at first glance. Gritch the Witch is a meanie, but dressed-up pigs really get the better of her.
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What's the Story?
Gritch the Witch is hungry and a craving for piggie pie sends her looking for eight succulent little pigs to complete her recipe. But when she gets to Old MacDonald's pig farm they are nowhere in sight. Where could they be?
Is It Any Good?
The illustrations are suffused with colors with soft edges that make a potentially scary witch more little-kid-friendly. Still, sensitive kids may be spooked. The final picture, where the Big Bad Wolf daydreams about the witch's head in a hamburger bun, sounds scarier than it looks, but may be a bit much for some kids. The pigs, in their clever farmyard disguises, will delight kids whose eyes are certainly sharper than old Gritch the Witch's.
Written for read-alouds, this book begs for an animated storyteller. Frustrated actors reading to their preschoolers will delight in Gritch's over-the-top dialogue. With sly tributes to at least three popular kids' stories (Wizard of Oz, Old MacDonald, and The Three Little Pigs), this is sure to be a popular read-aloud -- and with adult help, kids can get in on the jokes, too.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the clever mentions of other popular children's stories. Can you spot them? After checking out the book, adults can find the originals for a refresher. Kids can also talk about what scares them and why the witch wants to be scary but is quite silly instead.
Book Details
- Author: Margie Palatini
- Illustrator: Howard Fine
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Clarion Books
- Publication date: September 18, 1995
- Number of pages: 32
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: September 16, 2015
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