by Boomert - Piglet and Granny by Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King 13 Jan 2010

There is no better combination in picture books for young children than the award-winning team of Margaret Wild and Stephen Michael King. Previous books Piglet and Mama and Piglet and Papa are already firm favourites, so this third book about the lovable little piglet will be a welcome addition to any child’s bookshelf. This book celebrates the warm and loving relationship between Piglet and her grandmother and highlights Piglet’s childlike impatience and expectation of her loving Granny’s visit, which is typical of children in this age group. The language is simple, warm and engaging, and the story builds up just the right feeling of suspense, carrying the reader along to the joyous and energetic surprise conclusion. The uncluttered and lively illustrations extend the story with tenderness and involvement. They are charming and deceptively simple watercolours which perfectly portray the emotions of the playful character of Piglet, who is impatiently waiting, and the joy when the two are finally together. The book was dedicated to Sandy Campbell, widely loved publicist and reviewer who died in February. It’s a perfect book for grandparents to share with their grandchildren.

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine (March 2009, Vol 88, No 6.) is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2009, Thorpe-Bowker.