Pig is Big on Books

by Douglas Florian

Overview

Pig loves to read. He's never without a big stack of books! He reads them one after another. His friends know they'll find him with his snout in a book, whether he's at home, on the bus or even at the beach. But one day, Pig has no books. He looks everywhere and can't find a single thing to read! Instead of panicking, Pig has a great idea. He knows just how to solve this problem . . . Pig will write his own book! An ideal book for the emergent reader. An I Like to Read(R) book. Guided Reading Level D.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823434244
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	07/20/2015
Series:	I Like to Read Series
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	120L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Douglas Florian is a poet as well as a children's book author and illustrator. He lives and works in New York, where he has read his poetry at Carnegie Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.

Editorial Reviews

"The lightly handled alliteration and rhyme, along with the monosyllabic and repeated vocabulary, will help fledgling readers decipher the text . . . Florian's highly detailed yet painterly illustrations were created with gouache watercolor, colored pencil and collage on primed paper bag. The result is lovely, textured illustration that begs readers to touch the page."—The New York Times

"A perfect ode to the joys of reading and writing."—School Library Journal

"With short sentences and simple vocabulary, Florian spins a clever tale that will please both new readers and younger children just getting used to stories with a real plot. . . . A subtle, accomplished story with few words but a big overall effect."—Kirkus Reviews

"a successful addition to a book-themed storytime, as well as a useful touchstone text for parents, teachers, and librarians introducing lifelong reading habits to the young'uns."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

The lightly handled alliteration and rhyme, along with the monosyllabic and repeated vocabulary, will help fledgling readers decipher the text, and the winning narrative arc emphasizes problem-solving and the importance of reading…But the art may be the true star here. Florian's highly detailed yet painterly illustrations were created with gouache watercolor, colored pencil and collage on primed paper bag. The result is lovely, textured illustration that begs readers to touch the page.

The New York Times Book Review - Laura Lutz

12/01/2015
PreS-Gr 2—This entry in the series is perfect for beginning readers, with its pleasingly simple and repetitive text. A young porcine bibliophile loves "big books" and "small books," and he reads them at school, on the bus, and while sunning on the beach. One day the unthinkable happens—despite searching high and low, Pig cannot find a book to read. Taking matters into his creative hands, he writes one of his own. In a clever twist, his newly penned tome is the very one in readers' hands. Florian's distinctively naive watercolor, colored pencil, and collage artwork is created on brown paper bags and has the textured appearance of a freshly crayoned picture. The background scenes are full of eye-catching details, from the Alexander Calder-like lamp in Pig's mid-century modern home to his carefully stacked tower of books. VERDICT A perfect ode to the joys of reading and writing.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

School Library Journal

★ 2015-06-29
A charming pink pig enjoys reading books of different sorts in different places, leading to the creation of a book of his own. With short sentences and simple vocabulary, Florian spins a clever tale that will please both new readers and younger children just getting used to stories with a real plot. The first and last pages repeat the titular phrase, "Pig is big on books." That expression may need some explanation from an adult, but it's a useful idiomatic phrase that little kids might find amusing. Pig is shown reading his beloved books at home, at school, on the bus, and on his mom's lap (sharing The 3 Pigs, naturally). But one day Pig just can't find any books to read, so he solves his problem by creating his own book—the very book readers are holding. This delightful twist ending is made believable by Florian's naïve illustration style using gouache, watercolor, colored pencil, and collage elements. It's just possible to imagine that a talented youngster (human or porcine) might have created these appealing illustrations, though adult readers will recognize the skill needed to convey this childlike artistic style. The illustrations of Pig and his animal friends use a bright palette of citrus shades with a dreamy, sunny atmospheric effect. A subtle, accomplished story with few words but a big overall effect. (Early reader. 2-8)

Kirkus Reviews