Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (Paperback)

by Betty MacDonald (Author), Hilary Knight (Illustrator) "I expect I might as well begin by telling you all about Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle so that whenever I mention her name, which I do very..." (more)
Key Phrases: uncle jasper, radish cure, big black spider, Mary Lou, Miss Crabtree, The Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker Cure (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has been wildly popular with children and adults for over 50 years. Children adore her because she understands them--and because her upside-down house is always filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies, and her backyard with buried treasure. Grownups love her because her magical common sense solutions to children's problems succeed when their own cajoling and yelling don't. For the child who refuses to bathe, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle recommends letting her be. Wait until the dirt on her body has accumulated to half an inch, then scatter radish seeds on her arms and head. When the plants start sprouting, the nonbather is guaranteed to change her mind about that bath.

Hilary Knight's (Eloise, Sunday Morning) delightful pictures provide lively, droll accompaniment to Betty MacDonald's refreshing stories. Whether Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is curing Answer-Backers or Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Takers, her remedies always work like a charm. More than one parent over the years has surreptitiously turned to Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle when Dr. Spock failed to come through. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Children will love this recording of the classic written by Betty MacDonald (HarperCollins, 1957) and read by Karen White. Youngsters are still fascinated with the idea of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle who says that the hump on her back is full of magic. The house she shares with her dog, Wag, and cat, Lightfoot, is built upside-down except for the kitchen, bath, and stairs. Her past, which is somewhat mysterious, includes a pirate husband who supposedly buried treasure in the backyard. Unlike most parents, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle understands exactly what children like to do to entertain themselves. The funny names and exaggerated situations add to the fun. In addition to providing a childhood wonderland in her home, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has a storehouse of "cures" for common childhood diseases including the Won't-Pick-Up-Toys cure, the Answer-Backer cure, the Never-Want-to-Go-to-Bedders cure, the Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker cure, and several others. White perfectly captures the whiny voices of the children as well as the desperation of the parents. The portrayal of the parents in the stereotypes typical of the 1950's fits into the whole fantasy of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's world. This recording will find a large audience in public library children's collections and elementary school libraries.
Maureen Cash Moffet, St. Anne's Catholic School Library, Bristol, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (June 3, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064401480
• ISBN-13: 978-0064401487
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,704 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( K ) > Knight, Hilary
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Only Problems Went Away This Easily, November 22, 2003

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is the neighbor everyone wishes they had. She's the widow of a pirate, lives in an upside down house, and is always ready for a tea party with freshly baked cookies. She's such an expert on kids that parents have started calling on her wisdom to cure their kids when they start misbehaving. And whether it's making chores into a game or getting kids to take a bath, she's sure to have the answer to make everyone happy again.

I loved these books as a kid, and this book is just as fun now. The stories fall into a predictable pattern, but that hardly diminishes their enjoyment. Each chapter is a self-contained story, so it's easy to read just a little bit at a time. Unlike other books in the series that feature magic cures, these stories feature what I recognize now as psychology to cure the kids. The humor comes from the exaggeration of the problem and what the child goes through to get "cured." For example, the parent's fighting in the "Fighter Quarrelers Cure" or the tiny dishes in the "Slow Eater Tiny Bite Taker Cure." Heck, by the time the "Never Want to go to Bedders" are cured, they are actually begging to go to bed at their normal bedtime.

Reading the book as an adult, I got a few good laughs out of the names of the parent's friends. I also found it interesting that very few of the adults have an identity apart from their kids. Then again, as a kid's novel, it presents a kid's eye view of the world. I hope these books continue to entertain for years to come.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Fun Book to Read, January 31, 2002

By	Heather Harpel (Kellogg, ID) - See all my reviews

I first read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle in the forth grade, checking it and the other Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books out of my school library. I found Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle very fun to read, and really enjoyed the rest of the books as well. I recently purchased it from Amazon for my 9 year old daughter who loves to read. I took the time to re-read the book before I gave it to her, and it is interesting to read it as an adult. I still found it fun, especially the last chapter, the Fighter-Quarrelers Cure, which I had completely forgotten. (I must say, I am tempted to try the cure one of these days) My daughter seems to agree that this is a fun book, as she had two chapters read before breakfast this morning. I am looking forward to ordering the rest of the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books, for myself almost as much as for my daughter!

UPDATE~ My daughter finished the book in two days. She loved it and couldn't put it down until she was finished. If you have a child who is a reluctant reader, give Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle a try.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Stands the Test of Time, January 28, 2005

By	Elaine E. Rowan - See all my reviews

I started reading aloud to my students years ago as a technique to calm them after recess and P.E. classes. Throughout my long teaching career, I have read this book to probably thousands of children. I am about to retire, but the kids today seem to love this book as much as they did thirty-seven years ago when I first began teaching. That is truly remarkable and goes to show that children never really change though their surroundings do. Many of my students love this story so much, they check out other Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books from the library, which helps improve their reading skills.