Pig the Rebel

August 1, 2022
You got schooled! Pig the Pug is back for another off-kilter adventure, and this time he's a doggie school dropout. After off-page antics that leave his owner's home a mess, Pig is shipped off to Big Jean's Dog Obedience School, where the institution's "No job too tough" motto finally meets its match. Pig joins a cohort of equally uncouth pups but doesn't advance further than the first lesson before he organizes a revolt. Mayhem ensues, and Pig ends up looking like his namesake after an accident with a few pink cakes and a tank of flammable gas. Thankfully, though, some lessons were learned and the book ends on a positive note. The story and the illustrations--rendered in acrylic with pens and pencils--are just as zany as readers would expect, and educators and librarians will revel in reading the book aloud. The plot moves at a breakneck pace; as a result, Big Jean, a stern, light-skinned woman with a heap of purple curls, isn't developed, which is unfortunate as the character radiates interest and seems like a funny foil for the mischievous pug. Instead, the focus stays solely on Pig, whose reaction shots and bug-eyed horror at the thought of behaving will have readers giggling long after the book is finished. One sour spot is a visual joke that implies cultural insensitivity among Pig's bad dog behaviors; it appears to be a reference to a previous title in the series, but without context it may confuse readers unfamiliar with the series. This issue aside, Pig is a bad pug whom children will want to read about again and again. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Another hilarious outing with this deliciously naughty dog. (Picture book. 4-8)

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August 12, 2022

K-Gr 2-Pig the pug is back, and he has been a very naughty dog! The story opens on a scene of domestic destruction; oil is spilled all over the rug, and there is a surfboard smashed through the TV set. Pig is dispatched to obedience school, where he meets a hilarious group of dogs and a dog trainer who has no tolerance for any shenanigans. After the first command to sit is bellowed his way, Pig is determined to break out and take the rest of his classmates with him. Absolute mayhem ensues, and an explosive calamity causes a dramatic set of changes to Pig, leaving readers laughing out loud and wondering if our hero can indeed have a true change of heart. VERDICT Laugh-out-loud funny illustrations will have devotees of the series hoping that Pig hasn't really transformed and will send new readers looking for previous titles to enjoy the exploits of this unforgettable character.-John Scott

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