Old Pig - Hardcover

Wild, Margaret

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1863738134 ISBN 13: 9781863738132

Publisher: Allen & Unwin, 1995

Synopsis

Shortlisted, Picture Book of the Year, Children's Book Council Awards 1996 Shortlisted, Picture Book Division, ACT Canberra's Own Outstanding List (COOL) Awards 1998 Shortlisted, Picture Storybook, Young Australians' Best Book Awards (YABBA) 1997 Commended, Ashton Scholastic Award for Best Designed Children's Book 1996 Old Pig and Granddaughter have lived together for a long, long time. They share everything, including the chores, until the day when Old Pig does not get up as usual for breakfast. Calmly she puts her affairs in order, then she takes Granddaughter on a last long walk - looking and listening, smelling and tasting. Old Pig and Granddaughter say goodbye in the best way they know. A tender story of living and loving, giving and receiving; a glorious celebration of the world.

About this title

About the Author

Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks are acclaimed for their thoughtful, award-winning children's books which have been published with great success in many countries.

From Booklist

Ages 4^-7. Loss of a loved one is difficult to deal with no matter what one's age. In this tender tale, Old Pig and her granddaughter share a life doing chores, taking walks, eating their meals together. And Granddaughter is willing to eat her corn and oats every day because Old Pig says, "As long as I'm alive, my dear, you'll eat them up." But one morning Old Pig can't get out of bed. The next day she does manage to get up, but her agenda is clear. She wants to pay her bills and close her savings account so she can give the money to Granddaughter. Then she wants to feast--feast her eyes on the flowers and taste the rain and smell the earth. Back at home, Granddaughter opens the window to let the breeze and the moon in, and then she gets in bed with her grandmother and holds her tight until morning. The final wordless picture shows Granddaughter alone. Beautiful in its simplicity, this captures the essence of a life; and children, even little ones, cannot help but feel the love that infuses it. The soft watercolors are entirely childlike and unpretentious, but Brooks manages to mix the everyday with a beauty that transcends chores and meals. Some children may be misled by the story and think they will always be able to share a final good-bye with those they love. It's up to adults, who know so well that this isn't always true, to make sure children understand that the message is to fill each moment with love. Ilene Cooper

About this edition

• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 1863738134
• ISBN 13: 9781863738132
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32