THIS LITTLE PIGGY

The well-worn, much-loved finger-and-toe game is elucidated and embellished to a fare-thee-well in this little picture book. It's not clear why readers need to know that the second little piggy was just waiting for his brother to leave so he could skip going to market and laze in a bubble bath; or that the third little piggy ate all the roast beef slated for dinner, much to the chagrin of the fourth little piggy. Children may be beguiled, however, by the adorable illustrations in bright candy colors, by the portrait of a perky, bespectacled grandmother who tells the tale to her grandson, and by the vivid hues of the piggies' world. While the game may be more enjoyable to play than to read about, this book may inspire children to tinker with and expand upon such rhymes on their own. (Picture book. 2-4)