Be brave, pink piglet! by Phil Cummings

Ill. by Sarah Davis. Hachette, 2015. ISBN 9780734415929
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Determination, Bravery, Pigs, Humour. When Pink Piglet is pushed away by mum to go exploring by himself for the very first time, he is unsure. He meets a dog that barks at him, a rooster that crows and a cow that moos. He trots off, hurrying away from these scary creatures. Then he finds some worms, later some berries and then some frogs, each meeting adding a little more debris to his body. By the time he gets back to the farmyard he is covered in dirt and berry juice and slime from the pool where the frogs were hiding.
Unexpected results emanate from his appearance, but his mum sees him underneath his new covering and welcomes him back home.
This is a charming story of bravery and determination, of setting out to do something new, of being determined to have a go. The repetition in the first section where he is frightened by the farm animals will please younger readers and encourage them to predict and read along with the increasingly familiar words. This repetition occurs again as Pink Piglet adds to his finery, and again as he reruns home.
Sarah Davis' artwork will thrill younger readers as they recognise the farm animals and the antics they get up to, sympathising with Pink Piglet's attempts at independence and the safety of his loving mother waiting at home.
This is a delightful read a loud story for younger readers, one that will encourage them to think about how brave they can be in attempting something new.
Fran Knight