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Piggies in a polka -
written by Kathi Appelt ; illustrated by LeUyen Pham.
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
San Diego : Harcourt, 2003.
1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 23 x 28 cm.
Annotations:
- Pigs dance the night away when a polka band plays at the annual hootenanny.
Best Books:
- Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Reading Measurement Programs:
Accelerated Reader
Interest Level Lower Grade
Book Level 2.7
Accelerated Reader Points 0.5
Reviews:
- Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
The porkers in this picture book are set to have a good time. It is time for the annual hootenanny and they have all gathered to stomp up a storm. The rhyming verse describes a variety of dances from what sounds like square dancing, to polkas and a plethora in between. There is plenty of swirling and swinging as these pigs pirouette about the dance floor. The pictures tend to be a little dark in deeper shades of pinks, reds and lavender and do not offer a lot of variety. The musicians, however, add a bit of color and flair as they exhibit their musical prowess. "There's a piggy playing clarinet, / there's one on concertina. / And who's that with the castanets? / The beautiful Porcina!" She is really the only character singled out in this gathering. And she is the one who brings the festive evening to a close with a slow song to serenade them, and then "She puckers up and blows a kiss / and sends them on their way." The lilting, rhyming text will be fun for kids in the early elementary grades; and it just might be a good choice for one of those recess days when you cannot go outside to burn off some excess energy--kids can pretend they are enjoying a hootenanny of their own. 2003, Harcourt, $16.00. Ages 4 to 7.Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 14))
A community of pigs get jiggy with it during their annual "hootenanny" and seem to dance right off the page with the help of Appelt's twangy playful rhymes. One can almost hear the drum beat in the lines, "The drummer piggy hits a groove, / he keeps the polka beat. / It's a hoopy-shoopy rhythm / and the pigs all stomp their feet." It's hard to tell if this is really the polka. It could be anything from ballroom to square dancing. There's even a piggy mosh pit. Pham's velvety darks and lights as well as the layering of round and angular shapes give the atmosphere a jazzy night-club feel. This is definitely a group celebration and there isn't a sense of individual characters, though a singer named "The beautiful Porcina" steals the show. Some of the spreads picture similar dancing scenes and get a bit repetitive, but overall the celebration vibe is catching. The bouncy prose also makes this one great for reading aloud. 2003, Harcourt, $16.00. Category: Picture book. Ages 3 to 7. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Subjects:
- Polka (Dance) Fiction.
Dance Fiction.
Musicians Fiction.
Pigs Fiction.
Stories in rhyme.
| Language | Call Number | LCCN | Dewey Decimal | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English (eng) | PZ8.3.A554 Pi 2003 |
2002011346 |
[E] |
0152164839 9780152164836 |