Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!

by David McPhail

Overview

One minute, the narrator of this cleverly rhyming romp is quietly reading. The next minute, pigs descend upon his house in every imaginable getup, by every available means, from every possible place—even “Pigs from France” and “Pigs just in their underpants.” What results is lovable porcine mayhem and a pizza pig-out!
 
* “A must for all picture-book collection.”—School Library Journal, starred review
 
* “McPhail presents a magnificent group of porkers, whose capacity for costumes and capers is truly wondrous . . . Kids will find this a very good book indeed.”—Booklist, starred review
 
* “This is McPhail at his whimsical best.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

A Booklist Children's Editors' Choice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140553130
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	12/01/1996
Series:	Picture Puffin Books
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	252,736
Product dimensions:	8.44(w) x 11.13(h) x 0.13(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David McPhail is the acclaimed author of many popular books for children, including Fix-It; Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!; and Pigs Ahoy! (all Dutton and Puffin). He is also the illustrator of Jan Waldron's Angel Pig and the Hidden Christmas and John Pig's Halloween (both Dutton). He lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!

* “A must for all picture-book collection.”—School Library Journal, starred review
 
* “McPhail presents a magnificent group of porkers, whose capacity for costumes and capers is truly wondrous . . . Kids will find this a very good book indeed.”—Booklist, starred review
 
* “This is McPhail at his whimsical best.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the Publisher

Full of humor and slurps, high jinks and burps, the pigs who invade the narrator's quiet evening of reading in this liveliest of picture books not only cause pandemonium, but run up a huge pizza bill--until their host takes charge and makes them clean up their piggy mess. Cavorting through the book's pages are ``Black pigs, white pigs, / Brown and pink pigs, / Making-oatmeal- / In-the-sink pigs.'' They wear tutus, baseball uniforms, crowns, kilts, high hats or just their underpants. They arrive by bus and train, by plane and boat (the ``S.S. Swine ''); eventually, even Elvis (or an Elvis impersonator) shows up, wearing a crown and shades, and sits in a chair in the midst of other pig musicians. With great enthusiasm, the insouciant pigs throw pizzas like frisbees and plead, ``Don't make us go, /Don't say good-bye,'' until the narrator gives them permission to stay so long as they clean up their act. From the narrator's initial Charlie Chaplin slip on a banana peel to his final dream of more ``pigs aplenty, / Pigs galore!'' children will enjoy the rollicking rhythm of the devilishly rambunctious poem and the abundant comedies in the illustrations. This is McPhail at his whimsical best. Ages 3-7. (May)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PreS-Gr 1-- Crunch, munch, slurp, burp! As a man sits, quietly reading, these suspicious sounds and the appearance of mysterious shadows herald a piggy invasion. As pigs of every size, shape , and dress (including Elvis) arrive at his house in every possible vehicle, a riotous party begins and lasts through the night as the perplexed narrator looks on. He finally loses his temper and orders a cleanup before falling asleep surrounded by the revelers, dreaming a piggy dream. McPhail's colorful illustrations and rolling rhyming text perfectly capture the spirit of these invaders. These porkers have real personality and wonderfully expressive faces and come as cowboys, skateboarders, ballplayers, bagpipers, kings, queens, and a rock band. The story is great for reading aloud--the illustrations are large and clear with only four lines of text per page--while individual readers will enjoy looking at the marvelous, funny details on each page. Not only for fans of McPhail's other pig books, this title is a must for all picture-book collections. It's a thoroughly enjoyable romp. --Mary Rinato Berman, New York Public Library

School Library Journal