Chrissie Krebs, Pig in a Wig, Omnibus Books from Scholastic Australia, 1 June 2018, 32pp., $16.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781742762664
The book begins with delightful endpapers – illustrations of all sorts of pigs wearing all sorts of wigs. The wordless first page shows a wig landing in a field – it has literally fallen off the back of a truck. Piggy puts it on and parades through the farm. He wants to show off the wig but his journey is very different from how he hoped it would be and he faces dangers with every animal he meets. A rollicking chase ensues ending in another encounter with something which has fallen from the back of a truck!
The illustrations are fun and the animals have a range of extraordinary expressions. The pig looks quite fetching in the blond wig but he also suitably frightened in many of the illustrations. He finally realises that discretion is the better part of valour and puts on his most innocent expression after he loses the wig.
This is very much a story of pride going before a fall although all comes right in the end. The story is told in rhyme, rhyme that works well and is paced well with repetition of some particularly important phrases such as ‘wigged pig’. All of this makes it fun to read aloud. This is a book which will be lovely for adults to share with children as well as children having fun reading it themselves.
Reviewed by Margot Hillel
