Walker The Pig In The Pond

One hot day, Neligan goes off to town in his cart. Neligan's pig sits by the pond watching the ducks and geese play on the cool water. The pig gets hotter and hotter; the ducks and the geese get louder and louder. The Neligan's pig jumps in the pond. All the animals come to see the strange sight of the pig in the pond. Then Neligan returns. He looks at the pig - and as he looks, he gets undressed. Then Neligan, followed by all the animals, jumps in too. Martin Waddell's other books include "Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?" (winner of the 1988 Smarties Book Prize and the Kate Greenaway Medal, "Let's Go Home, Little Bear", "The Park in the Dark" (winner of the 1989 Emil/Kurt Maschler Award), "Rosie's Babies" (winner of the 1990 Best Books for Babies Award), "Farmer Duck" (winner of the 1991 Smarties Book Prize), "The Hidden House" (winner of the W.H. Smith Illustration Award in 1991) and the "Little Dracula" stories. Jill Barton's previous books include "The Happy Hedgehog Band", "Little Mo" and "Grape Zoo". Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2-- "One day Neligan went into town. It was hot. It was dry. The sun shone in the sky. Neligan's pig sat by Neligan's pond." This book tells the story of how the pig finally cools off. After enviously watching the self-satisfied ducks and geese swimming around, she goes through some dainty preparation, then dives in with a "SPLASH!" that fills a double-page spread. When the farmer comes home, there is a tense moment while he surveys the scene, then joins the pig in the pond, followed by the other farm animals. Waddell conveys a wonderful sense of silliness. The well-spaced print and the repetition make the book appropriate for beginning readers, but it certainly succeeds as a read-aloud for preschoolers. The playful language, rhythmic but not rhymed, matches the mood of the tale perfectly, and the artwork is a delight. Done with watercolor and pencil, Barton's animals are especially endearing and incredibly expressive, considering how simply they are drawn. The pig's decision to dare to do something unusual ("She didn't go in, because pigs don't swim"), and Neligan's affirmation of that decision, are story elements that young children will relate to. --Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review "Highly Commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal (1992) and described as "Outstanding!" by The Independent on Sunday" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.