PIG KAHUNA

Surfer pigs rise above aphorisms. The world is full of treasures. Concern for a friend trumps personal fears. Sometimes little brothers know best. Imagination is everything. Any of these might be the message behind this offbeat adventure, but none quite captures its goofy charm. Fergus and his baby brother Dink are anthropomorphized pigs—pink, plump and extremely expressive. They enjoy searching the beach, where they find interesting seaweed, oddly shaped rocks and bits of shell. Then they discover something extraordinary: a gleaming surfboard. Fergus is reluctant to ride it (he’s afraid of the water and what “lurking, murky ickiness” might be hiding in it) but they manage to have fun anyway, tap-dancing across it, using it as a pretend boat and even giving it a name—“Dave.” In a scene sure to give some parents fits, Fergus leaves Dink by the water’s edge to fetch some ice-cream cones. That’s when Dink decides that Dave should be returned to the ocean. Attempting to rescue his friend, Fergus discovers just how fun surfing can be. Sattler’s bold, bright paintings add emotion and humor. They also carry some parts of the narrative, as in an almost wordless double-page spread that accompanies Dave’s first appearance. The briskly paced text, meanwhile, offers alliteration and deadpan humor. Together words and pictures create an utterly engaging picture-book experience—eye-catching, thought-provoking and just plain fun. (Picture book. 4-7)