HOGGY WENT-A-COURTIN'

A basketball-playing pig learns the value of teamwork.

Hoggy is eager to show off his b-ball skills to all the other animals on the court. He demonstrates how well he can dribble and convinces the others to let him play. Hoggy is joyful, eager to participate, and proud of how good he is at the game…but maybe a bit too proud. True to his name, he hogs the ball and is a bad sport. Will he learn that friendship and playing with others are about sharing and cooperation? This early reader’s simple format allows beginner readers to remain focused on the text while enjoying splash pages, sound effects, and the small details that make the visual experience of a comic so much fun. Children who understand basketball will appreciate the technical parlance, though other, less informed readers will not miss out thanks to visual and context clues. Hoggy’s story is also a well-crafted lesson in how to deliver a meaningful apology. The book’s title is a spin on the old Scottish folk song “Froggy Went a-Courtin,” although this story bears no resemblance to the plot of the ditty. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A sporty introduction to the rules of friendship.