PARTY FOR EVERYONE

Near catastrophe awaits an altruistic piggy, but true friends will always come to the rescue.

It’s Piggy’s birthday, and you know what that means. Time to throw a party! Piggy handles all the decorations as well as a plethora of delicious (and healthy!) treats. Everything from sweet strawberries to fun fruit kabobs is on display, and as Piggy invites Rabbit, Cat, Mouse, Turtle, and Bird in, they load up their plates with the goodies. Finally, everyone has arrived, and Piggy can’t wait to dig in…only to find that all the food (except the corncobs, which he doesn’t really like) is gone. Chagrined, Piggy’s friends find a perfect solution when they pop that corn on the stove, and Piggy gets a tasty treat, too. Right from the get-go, the book is steeped in good feelings, as Piggy indulges in the simple pleasures of caring for others first. Images from this little Dutch import are mostly black and white, punctuated with bright red, yellow, blue, or green. By the time everyone is performing the “popcorn boogie-woogie” at the end, kids will be wanting to throw their own friends a birthday party worth remembering. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Selfless party hosting for the win. Charm incarnate.