From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2--This sincere and affable pig will make beginning readers giggle with three new adventures. In "The Sky," Poppleton and his pal Hudson, a mouse, stargaze in the backyard. When Hudson notices that his friend's eyes are closed, the pig explains that the vast night sky makes him dizzy. The mouse then cuts a small hole in a blanket and places it over Poppleton's face. Now he sees only a "tiny sky." In the second episode, Poppleton shops for a new bed and is assisted by an efficient feline saleslady. His elaborate testing of the prospective purchase and his requests to make sure the bed suits his habits cause the cat to become increasingly impatient but eventually result in a sale. In the final story, Poppleton is invited aboard Fillmore's new sailboat, where he is told to do nothing but sit back and relax. This proves to be impossible, particularly when the goat's sailboat capsizes, but the pig ends up having the last laugh. The chapter format, and varied settings and characters will give beginning readers relief from a seemingly endless decoding task. The light touches of humor are enhanced by the engaging art filled with expression and charm. It's more colorful and interesting than the illustrations found in many easy readers.
Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
As a child in West Virginia, Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant devoured comic books and paperback romances. She never dreamed of being a writer until she took one college English class. Then she became "hooked on great writing...I didn't know about this part of me until I went to college—didn't know that I loved beautiful stories." One night, inspired by the Southern writer, James Agee, she wrote her first picture book, When I Was Young in the Mountains, which was an instant success. Since then, she's written more than 60 children's books and received numerous awards, including the Newbery and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. With simplicity and grace, Rylant's books explore such subjects as aging, the trials of spirituality, the loss of a loved one, and the spirit and integrity of family life with all its joys and hardships. Rylant has said, "Books alter our hearts." Her books are a testament to this promise. Rylant lives in the Pacific Northwest. For more information about Cynthia Rylant, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks
