As the daughter of a printer, Sue Lowell Gallion has a
life-long love of type, paper, and books. Sue is the author of the
Pug and Pig picture book series and All Except Axle, among
others. She lives in Leawood, Kansas, with a black lab mix who is
not a pug.
Joyce Wan is the author and illustrator of several picture books,
including Pug Meets Pig, Pug & Pig Trick-or-Treat,
Sleepyheads, Greetings from Kiwi and Pear, You Are My
Cupcake, and We Belong Together. She also runs a design studio
whose stationery and gift products are sold worldwide. Joyce lives
with her husband in New York City. Visit her at WanArt.com.
The stars of Pug Meets Pig are back, and while they’ve acclimated
to sharing a home, they aren’t on the same page where Halloween is
concerned. If possible, the pals are even more adorable this time
around, thanks to their matching skeleton costumes. Pig adores
everything about the outfit: its “snug fit,” glow-in-the-dark
bones, and mask. “Will anyone know who she is?” wonders Pig with
glee, mugging for readers with an expression that approaches
ecstasy. But Pug is miserable in his costume, and after he tears it
to bits, Gallion subtly explores how the two stay true to
themselves, respect what the other needs, and find common ground
(namely by getting really muddy and scarfing down Halloween candy).
Wan’s art is almost impossibly cute, and the message about
compromise is one for any time of year.
*June 26, 2017*
A costume kerfuffle may ruin Pig's celebration of Halloween, but
Pug's quick thinking saves the day. Pug and Pig have matching
costumes for Halloween: tight-fitting black suits with glowing
bones. Pig adores hers. Pug decidedly does not; he shreds it all
over the yard. But while Pug doesn't really care about the holiday,
Pig cares very much. Whom will she share the day with? In a
marvelous spread that shows Pug leaping off the easy chair and
heading out the doggy door, Wan captures the dog's emotions:
sympathy for his sad friend, the spark of an idea, and
determination to carry it out. He heads to the muddy corner of the
yard and suddenly becomes Pig's shadow, brown mud covering all of
him except for an oval "mask" around his eyes. Together the best
friends answer the door and pass out treats, go trick-or-treating,
and enjoy the Halloween party. The final scene of the two, still in
costume and snuggled in their house, is as satisfying as it gets.
Gallion's tale works on many different levels: as a look at clever
problem-solving and compromise, as a friendship story, and as a
text suitable for early readers, with plenty of repetition, simple
vocabulary, and short sentences. Wan's pencil-and-digital
illustrations support all of this with spare backgrounds, simple
details, and a focus on the friends' relationship. Delightful.
(Picture book. 3-7)
*August 1, 2017*
October 31 is here, and Pug and Pig are decked out in matching
skeleton costumes. Pig couldn’t be happier, but Pug can’t stand the
tight outfit, and he’s afraid no one will recognize him in his
mask. He rips apart the costume, deciding that this holiday isn’t
for him, but Pig is crestfallen at the prospect of celebrating
Halloween without her pal. So Pug discovers a way to enjoy the
festivities on his own terms. Coating himself with mud and calling
himself Pig’s shadow, Pug feels much more comfortable and readily
joins in the fun. Softly rounded illustrations complement the
concise, matter-of-fact text. Roly-poly Pig and Pug are utterly
expressive. Despite the appropriately dark palette, there are no
frightening ghouls or goblins here, and cozy details abound, such
as the decorative scarecrow (a sweetly smiling sunflower dressed in
overalls) and a wreath festooned with a cheery little ghost.
Children, especially those a bit apprehensive about the holiday,
will applaud Pug’s solution and appreciate his willingness to seek
a compromise. VERDICT A lovely addition to most libraries,
especially for Halloween storytimes or where there are fans of the
duo’s first outing, Pug Meets Pig.
*September 2017*
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