Piggy Bunny
Liam is a piglet with “the kind of problem that is called heartbreaking”: he wants to be the Easter Bunny, but instead of floppy ears and a spring in his step, he has triangular lobes and trotters. His family is generally unsympathetic to the cause; his big sister tells him to “deal with it.” Luckily, Grandma knows that with just the right costume, ordered online, a heartbreaking problem can become a fixable one. Some of the humor in the text may tickle adults more than kids (e.g.,“Hello, my name is Liam, and I’ll be your Easter Bunny”), but Tankard (Grumpy Bird, 2007) extends the laughs with his broad-brushstroke digital illustrations. A piglet with a belly button is funny enough, but Dad’s mustache and Grandma’s oversize glasses are the real snort inducers. Picture books about pigs and bunnies are perennial kid favorites, and this one, which contains nice sentiments about believing in yourself, is likely to be enjoyed long after the Easter Bunny’s departure. Preschool-Grade 2. --Ann Kelley