PIGLETTE'S PERFECT SURPRISE

A petite porker strives for perfection.

It is Madame Paradee’s birthday, and Piglette must find a present. She wanders around Paris, peering into shop windows, but nothing seems right. Then a delicious smell catches her snout. There, in the window of Chef Pistache’s patisserie, are the most delectable confections! Piglette will learn how to bake and create a masterpiece cake for Madame Paradee. The idea is…perfect. However, baking is very precise, and Piglette produces more flops than flawless pastries. “Oh, piddle! I can’t disappoint Madame Paradee on her special day.” Piglette rolls up her sleeves and practices. On the day of the party, it is impossible to choose just one dessert to prepare, so she makes an Eiffel Tower of piled-high treats (depicted on a gatefold that requires a 90-degree turn to view). But: “Plip!…Plop!…PLOOP!”—suddenly the pastries start to fall! Piglette learns that perfectionism can be pretty painful. Brimming with alliteration, this tale of a sophisticated swine caters to Fancy Nancy fans, but Piglette also holds her own with those not so easily impressed with pink ruffles. Piglette’s determination and pluck shine. Byrne’s pictures are flooded with swirls, sugar, and sparkles, adding mouthwatering flair. Chef Pistache’s habit of speaking in rhyme when the narration and none of the other characters employ it is a bit baffling, however. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 20% of actual size.)

Ideal for those learning that efforts matter more than outcomes.