Tag: joyce wan

Pug & Pig and Friends (Sue Lowell Gallion)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Pug & Pig and Friends, written by Sue Lowell Gallion and illustrated by Joyce Wan, third in the pair’s series of Pug & Pig books.

Best pals Pug and Pig have resolved their previous differences and settled into a comfortable and happy life as pets in their spacious yard and lovely home. In fact, they’ve even made some new friends: Cat, Squirrel, and Robin. While the five friends enjoy spending time together, some activities appeal to different members of the friend group more than others. Pug, Pig, Robin, and Squirrel all love zooming around the yard, for instance, but Cat’s not a fan. What Cat does love to do is sneak up on Pug and scare him when he’s napping; Cat and Pig finds this trick hilarious, but Pug and the others don’t like it at all. When a sudden thunderstorm sends the friends scattering, Cat ends up in a tree, too scared to descend. How can the friends help her down? Perhaps Pug can come up with a trick of his own…

Cute, but a disappointing ending. The first two Pug & Pig books feature wonderful lessons in friendship, focusing on sharing, kindness, and consideration. This one seemed to lack such a lesson: Pug lures Cat down from the tree by pretending to take a nap, then scares Cat when she sneaks up on him. Everyone has a laugh, but wait – didn’t Squirrel and Robin not like surprises? And what is the message: if a friend does something that upsets you, upset them back, but it’s okay if it’s in the process of helping them? It’s more than a bit muddled, unlike the sweet and clearcut messages of the previous stories. Beyond this issue, Wan’s charming illustrations are still delightful and full of cuddly characters, and the pace is brisk enough for a quick storytime. Gallion’s chipper, earnest text is as fun to read aloud as always, and JJ did enjoy the interplay between the animals. So while this one’s finale was a bit of a letdown, it will still be worth a look to fans of the series or little bookworms hoping for a cute and breezy read. Overall, Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by a representative of the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Peep And Egg: I’m Not Taking A Bath (Laura Gehl)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Peep And Egg: I’m Not Taking A Bath, written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Joyce Wan, a delightful little tale about a stubborn little chick and his patient big sister.

After playing in the mud with the pigs, Egg the chick is positively filthy. He needs a bath, but simply refuses to take one! His big sister Peep tries her best to convince him: they can bathe in the river or the duck pond or even the dog’s water bowl if he wants! But no, no, no. Egg will NOT be taking a bath today. Peep’s not worried though – she knows her little brother well enough to know exactly how to convince him that bath time will be worth his while.

This is the third book in the Peep And Egg series, but the first we’ve read, and we enjoyed it so much! The classic theme of a stubborn little one refusing an activity – only to find it can be a lot more fun than they had anticipated – is tried and true kid’s comedy, and it’s wonderfully warm and lighthearted here. Peep is a sweet, patient big sister, and it’s a nice example for older siblings on how to act theme their little brothers or sisters are being stubborn. Wan’s art is as whimsically adorable as always, and immediately endears the reader to every creature on the page. The length is good, and JJ and I both enjoyed it. A fun book about siblings, stubbornness, and bathtime for little readers, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved! 

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by a representative of the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Pug & Pig: Trick-Or-Treat (Sue Lowell Gallion)

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Hello, friends! Happy October! We’re starting off the Halloween season with a review of the delightfully fun Pug & Pig: Trick-Or-Treat, written by Sue Lowell Gallion and illustrated by Joyce Wan.

In this spooky sequel, Pug and Pig are back and getting ready for the holiday: their house is decorated, their yard has a scarecrow, and they have their own personalized pumpkins. They even have matching costumes: skeleton suits with masks. Pig loves his costume! It hugs her and her round tummy, and she likes that the mask disguises her. Pug, however, is less thrilled. He does like the way the leotard squishes him, and hates that the mask hides who he is. Fed up, Pug shreds his costume into pieces all over the yard and decides he’s done with Halloween. This makes Pig sad: she was looking forward to her first Halloween and doing all the fun activities with her very best friend. Can the two find a compromise so that they can both enjoy the holiday?

This was a great follow-up to the relentlessly charming Pug Meets Pig. The adorably unlikely pals are back in all their Kawaii-inspired glory, looking so cute and cuddly on each page that you want to reach out and snuggle them. The story is great, too: the two find a good compromise wherein Pig has her friend to trick-or-treat with, but Pug feels comfortable in what he’s wearing. The length is perfect, and JJ loves the darling duo. This one is a great way to celebrate the holiday while teaching a lesson in friendship and compromise, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved! 

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by a representative of the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Pug Meets Pig (Sue Lowell Gallion & Joyce Wan)

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(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.) 

Hello, everyone! Today’s book is the unbelievably darling Pug Meets Pig by Sue Lowell Gallion and Joyce Wan, an adorable take on a classic story about friendship.

Pug is rather pleased with his life. He has his house, his bowl, his yard and his doghouse, and everything is just the way he likes it. That is, until the day a new pet arrives: a pig! Pig hogs all of Pug’s favorite things, and poor Pug is positively irked. Can these two get past their problems to become pals?

This book is so CUTE. As stories go, it’s pretty familiar (but still timeless): conflicting personalities who learn how to sympathize and become friends. What sets this book apart, however, is the delightful text that is expressive, well-paced, and a joy to read aloud, and the heart-burstingly cute kawaii-style illustrations. Bright colors and bold lines make for a lot of visual interest for baby bookworms, and the length is great. To be honest, we’re stoked we get to keep this one because JJ loved it so much, as did I, and your little reader will too. Baby Bookworm approved!

The Whale In My Swimming Pool (Joyce Wan)

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Summer Reading Day 37: Since we’re taking our baby swim lessons this week, I thought it might be fun to read a pool-related book, and I chose The Whale In My Swimming Pool by Joyce Wan. It’s got a funny, silly story about a boy who goes swim in his pool only to find, well, I think you can guess. The illustrations are adorable kawaii-style art that is fun to look at, and the story is perfect for little readers. We loved it.