Little Pig Joins the Band

David Hyde Costello’s humorous story (Charlesbridge, 2011) about Little Pig who is too small to play any of the marching band instruments stored in a box at Grandpa’s house. Whenever Little Pig asks his siblings a question, it is comically misheard. For example, when he asks if there are any piccolos, the response is “There’s a jar in the fridge behind the olives.” Finally, Little Pig realizes that the rag-tag group needs a little organization, so he finds a whistle and gets them lined up and marching in step. Costello’s clever asides come to life via Emily Eiden’s terrific narration. The “Little Pig March,” composed by Rory Young and Arnie Cardillo, is wonderful and all the music and sound effects add to the meaning and enjoyment of the text. Costello’s illustrations are spot-on! Pair this with Mary Raynor’s Garth Pig Steals the Show (Dutton, 1993), A Pig Parade Is a Terrible Idea (S & S, 2010) by Michael Ian Black, and the DVD version of the tale (SLJ, Sept. 2012) from Nutmeg Media. This delightful production will be enjoyed by students and teachers and might even inspire them to organize a class parade.–Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY