Pow Pow Pig: An Unexpected Hero by Anh Do

This brand new series by Anh Do packs an almighty punch and is sure to be a huge hit with children of all ages. Filled with action, humour and adventure, Pow Pow Pig and his mates are engaging, fun characters within a well-thought out and fast-moving storyline.

The story is set in a dystopian 2050, when the world is dealing with the fallout from a terrible decision: the rich animals of the world voted to stop helping the poor. The rich animals are fighting for more, the poor animals are fighting to survive and the world is generally a mess. There are still some good animals around though and Pow Pow Pig wants to be one of them by joining CHOC (Creatures Helping Other Creatures). But how can he and his friends (Danielle Duck, Chelsea Chicken and Barry the Goat) change the world when they are always given clean up duty?! It isn't until something truly earth shattering happens that they get the chance to prove their skills on a time travelling mission. Can they change history and reverse the dire fate of the world? 

Fans of Anh Do's previous work (Weirdo and Ninja Kid) will be obvious fans but this will also appeal to a slightly younger audience as well as older readers who prefer shorter, illustrated texts. Generous spacing and small amounts of chunked text on each page make it friendly for newly independent readers as well as making a fantastic read aloud, especially due to the awesome action-packed illustrations (by Peter Cheong) on each page. This is so engaging, so readable and the cliffhanger will leave readers hanging out for the next installment. Give it to avid readers, give it to reluctant readers; it truly has universal appeal. The juxtaposition of the social problems occuring because of greed and a lack of humanitarianism alongside the teamwork and kindness of Pow Pow Pig and his friends is also a clever way to introduce these themes to young children. 

Themes: Adventure stories, Time travel, Humourous stories.

Nicole Nelson