Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!

Full of humor and slurps, high jinks and burps, the pigs who invade the narrator's quiet evening of reading in this liveliest of picture books not only cause pandemonium, but run up a huge pizza bill--until their host takes charge and makes them clean up their piggy mess. Cavorting through the book's pages are ""Black pigs, white pigs, / Brown and pink pigs, / Making-oatmeal- / In-the-sink pigs."" They wear tutus, baseball uniforms, crowns, kilts, high hats or just their underpants. They arrive by bus and train, by plane and boat (the ""S.S. Swine ""); eventually, even Elvis (or an Elvis impersonator) shows up, wearing a crown and shades, and sits in a chair in the midst of other pig musicians. With great enthusiasm, the insouciant pigs throw pizzas like frisbees and plead, ""Don't make us go, /Don't say good-bye,"" until the narrator gives them permission to stay so long as they clean up their act. From the narrator's initial Charlie Chaplin slip on a banana peel to his final dream of more ""pigs aplenty, / Pigs galore!"" children will enjoy the rollicking rhythm of the devilishly rambunctious poem and the abundant comedies in the illustrations. This is McPhail at his whimsical best. Ages 3-7. (May)