PIGMARES

Mummy Pigs, Frankenswine and Werehogs…oh my!

"A thousand-foot pig breathing nuclear fire. / Gurgling gasps from a swamp's murky mire. / Sharp fangs and red eyes on pale porcine faces. / Dead zombies crawl out from foul-smelling places." Prolific illustrator and occasional scribe Cushman versifies classic movie and literary monsters in 18 single-page poems with accompanying movie-poster–inspired watercolor illustrations starring, of course, pigs rather than people. Plants from outer space (Pigweed), the Yeti (Abominable Snow Pig) and Pig Kong all enjoy the spotlight in turn. All entries are rhymed, though in various schemes, and each has a humorous twist beyond the punny titles. "I ride along the highway, / a demonic, devilish bat. / 'Tisn't just a head I want, / but a place to put my hat," says the swiney spirit in  "The Legend of Sleepy Wallow." Several sentences of notes about each poem in the "credits" at the back of the book detail the film or book or scene that inspired the verse and the picture, adding a layer of fun and information that may lead young spook seekers to the source material.

Likely to inspire more giggles than gasps; these hammy horrors are sure to please.