20 HUNGRY PIGGIES

Harris counts from one to twenty with some busy porkers getting ready for a picnic. Authors follow the “little piggy” baby rhyme for numbers one through five, then “We, we, we . . . We STILL aren’t done! There are other piggies coming.” And the reader can follow some more pigs through other illustrated activities: flying a plane, juggling tangerines and picking a centerpiece, just for starters. Another surprise comes when they are interrupted by the very hungry Wolf. Ravenous as he is, only 19 have arrived, and he won’t eat until he gets all 20. When the oblivious number 20 rings the dinner bell outside, Wolf is no match for 38 stampeding piggy feet heading for the food. They have “fun and food galore,” while Wolf nurses his aches and studies a book of vegetarian recipes. Variation on the familiar rhyme should tickle very young listeners and Harris’s illustrations, combining watercolor and computer graphics, are crisp and simple. While the pigs don’t gather collectively until the end, their respective numerals—on shirts, pockets, caps and jewelry—aid in the count-up. (Picture book. 2-5)