Piggies in a Polka
If you’re looking for a new children’s book with plenty of whimsy, fantastic art, and a fun rhyming scheme—not to mention something with dancing, polka- playing pigs in it—look no further than Kathi Appelt’s Piggies in a Polka.
The story has a very simple premise: the yearly hootenanny for piggies all over the world is about to take place in one central barn location. Of course, it’s not just a barnyard boogie, or even a simple polka night; it’s also a roundelay, a piggy rigadoon, and even a piggy mosh pit. In short, every musical instrument and style has a place in this fun story.
As the barn begins to fill, you sort of expect it to be nothing more than a country hoedown; I had my doubts reading the book aloud as to whether or not I’d like it at this point. The rhyme scheme (a, b, c, a) was cute enough, but it was a little too country yokel for my taste. But just as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you also should refrain from judgment on the first few pages…
And I’m glad I did, because not only did the rhyme scheme improve—so did the rest of the tale! A variety of instruments and piggies started coming alive on the pages, more than you would certainly expect in a barn! A fashionable lounge singer piggy—called beautiful enough to make all of the “bachelor piggies sigh,” something we don’t often see regarding pigs or any fleshy creatures, for that matter!—adorably graced the center of the book, and was followed by even more culturally diverse players on the truba, trumpet, kazoo, and more.
Aside from Appelt’s charming rhyme scheme and inventive storytelling, LeUyen Pham’s illustrations are classically gorgeous—featuring the wholesome, rich shades you’d expect in a farm illustration—only with some wild expressions, round linings, and perfect piggy humanization.
Every character has a distinctive expression, a unique personality portrayed beyond the excessive piggy flesh; from cute plaids to German traditional polka wear, jazzy hats and cocktail dresses to French berets, kimonos, and roaring twenties’ blouses, every period, style and culture seems to be represented in the stunningly detailed illustrations. You could honestly make up a new story about every single pig in the book, using Piggies in a Polka for days on end and never telling the same story twice!
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for any child, as it's surprising, diverse, and certainly not what it seems--which teaches a valuable lesson. It's also simply fun to read, explore, and talk about together.
