Read to Me Picture Book Challenge: The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett
The Princess and the Pigwritten by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene
Walker & Company, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8027-2335-2
Grades K-3
Reviewed from library copy.
BLURB: There's been a terrible mix-up in the royal nursery. Priscilla the princess has accidentally switched places with Pigmella, the farmer's new piglet. The kindly farmer and his wife believe it's the work of a good witch, while the ill-tempered king and queen blame the bad witch-after all, this happens in fairy tales all the time! While Priscilla grows up on the farm, poor yet very happy, things don't turn out quite so well for Pigmella. Kissing a frog has done wonders before, but will it work for a pig?
I picked up this book thinking it would be the typical based on fairy tales sort of book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is not. Many princess books, which little girls devour, show only the positive parts of being a princess, the beautiful dresses, the parties, the happily ever afters. While this book does have a happily ever after for some of the characters, others do not have a happily ever after, which in and of itself is unusual. The illustrations are darling, full of bright colors, and beautifully compliment the story. I especially liked the way the author and illustrator worked in bits of plot from other fairy tales (the illustrator gives big hints at which stories are being referred to), but the author makes clear that these plot devices don't apply to this story. The ending I confess made me laugh out loud, it definitely came as a surprise. But that is all I'm going to say about it. Go find the book and discover this delightful read for yourself. The students enjoyed it and the surprise as well. Highly recommended.
Note for teachers, the book provides a great take on perspective and point-of-view. The book would also be great to use for talking about comparing and contrasting.Read to Me Picture Book Challenge
Watering Level Goal: 12 of 36 completed
i so like atypical princess books. I need to get my hands on this!
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