PUPPIES AND PIGGIES
by Cynthia Rylant & illustrated by Ivan Bates
A bevy of farm creatures enjoy a few of their favorite things in this barnyard charmer. Puppy loves playing in the rain and pressing his nose against the windowpane while Kitty loves a rose and walking on her toes. Bunny loves snacking on peas and hiding in apple trees. Piggy loves his slop and rolling around to flop. All Chicky needs are her seeds. Mousey loves to hide inside a dark hole. Goosey loves walking and talking. Pony loves running in the summer sun. And Baby loves bed and Mama who kisses him on his sleepy head. Told in reassuring rhyme, the simple upbeat text showcases happy animals doing what comes naturally while Bates’s idyllic watercolor and crayon illustrations present a bucolic barnyard teeming with contented critters. Puppy plays in a puddle; Kitty struts on a wall; Bunny munches pea pods; Piggy rolls in the straw; Chicky pecks; Mousey wiggles; Goosey honks; Pony stretches; and Baby sleeps safely. Comforting and carefree fare for tiny tots. (Picture book. 3-5)