Hector and Prudence

When a pig named Prudence puts on weight and lobbies to swap her muddy field for a roof over her head, her puzzled mate soon discovers the reason: the arrival of six sprightly pink piglets. The challenges of porcine parenthood generally are faced with equanimity, but by the time their offspring are tucked into bed at night, Hector and Prudence are exhausted. In a final scene that takes a sly poke at the mixed perils and joys of family life, readers see the pooped-out porkers relaxing on lawn chairs under the stars, while in the background their tireless brood clambers down a ladder (made of sheets tied together) to freedom. Koscielniak's rambunctious, jolly illustrations depict a pair of truly contemporary pigs; children and parents alike will find his understated wit hard to resist. Ages 3 - 7. (Apr.)