Do you know this “eat this, not that” series of books? The idea is to help you make good choices in food and drink to avoid hidden calories that will tank your health. Well, Rosie had the thought that we could do something similar with books for the Library Project*.
Our well-worn copy of Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle! (All the book links in this post are Amazon affiliate links and give us a little pocket change.)
I'M EDITING THIS POST WITH NEW INFORMATION!
A reader has alerted me to a serious reason to be sure that you do not give the new Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books to your children. See the end of this section for details.
No one expects me to like a new, updated version of mostly anything, but I'm trying to be balanced…
However, I'm probably failing.
There's a new Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, I have recently found out (and another one due next year).
In the new Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, the drawings are really nice, which is saying something, because Hilary Knight's whimsical imagination made so many books come alive.
But after that, I'm not sure why we don't just stick with the old ones. If people would like to update old things, why don't they just try their hand at invention? Plenty of great new things use the old ones as a starting point, it's quite legitimate. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to come up with something completely new. One wonders about the marketing angle…
The new Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle tries to have the same light-heartedness as the old, but right from the beginning it's heavy going, with the first “problem” not even appearing until chapter 3. I don't know how you are supposed to keep the kids' attention through all that back-story. The original dives right in with very little explanation, allowing us to figure things out as we go.
How is the old Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle not perfect?
“Too 50s” — which means, everyone has parents who are married to each other and Dad goes to work while mom stays home.
Well, there are worse things than that! No one reads Aesop's fables and complains that it's all about animals! It is what it is. And dare I say, how else will children find out the secret if we rewrite all the stories to reflect the new “normal”? As a child with divorced parents, I was grateful for stories that depicted stability.
And as to the enlightenment of our time: The truth is, even now when parents are oh so liberated and tasks fall on everyone equally because we have decreed it to be so, men still have to think about work and women still fret over household matters… and, often, work as well.** It's just all more stressful now because no one dares admit it.
**A truth borne out by all studies everywhere. Nothing is more common than a father who is distracted by his job, or a mom who's focused on the minutiae of the kids' behavior. We just don't have a sense of humor about it nowadays. (How's that for a statement!)
Casting characters according to type is a time-honored practice that yields much comedy. It would be sad to think that we have to do away with the healing powers of laughter, but I fear that many a smile has been sacrificed at the altar of “realism.”
It's hard to believe, dear reader, given the sorry state of children's literature today, but these books are not how-tos. They are hilarious stories! I still chuckle when I remember “I thought you said, ‘She fell in the toaster and was burnt up dead!'” from probably the best chapter ever, The I Thought You Saiders Cure — and when I remember all the times I laughed with my kids over these books.
They are rollicking good fun, with a healthy airing of human nature. There aren't ponderous morals for children (although there is wisdom for parents, which is why they keep us interested as we read!) If only our real parents would let us dig holes wherever we wanted in the yard! (To be fair, the new version retains this attractive feature of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's house. I'm not saying don't read it. I guess.)
And you know what, it might not be a bad idea to be reminded of how futile it is to “crowd-source” child-care advice (think “online forums” or “facebook mom's groups”!) — just call Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle instead!
A SERIOUS REASON TO SKIP THE NEW MRS. PIGGLE-WIGGLE SERIES:
One of our readers, Claire, was driving along when her daughter “asked how a woman could have a wife, and I nearly crashed the car. I could feel myself getting beet red, and I stammered something about male Hispanic names sometimes appearing to be feminine, but no, no, she insisted, it says, ‘HER wife.'”
The book is called The Sticky-Fingers Cure. Claire sent me shots of the pages beyond which she didn't let her children read; she wishes they hadn't read these:
Parents have the right and duty to give their children a wholesome vision of life. Children have the right not to be exposed to anything unwholesome as if it is wholesome!
Don't be confused! Yes, undoubtedly some of the children reading Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle are in home situations that depart from the norm. I know I was — my mom was divorced and things weren't always orderly in my life, far from it. Going from knowing this to be the case to presenting it to the child as normal and even normative and, implicitly, all anyone can hope for is damaging.
As an attitude from the supposedly responsible parties (publisher, author, illustrator, adult handing over the book), it robs the child of hope. In the name of non-judgmentalism it steals from the child the one thing he really needs, assurance that life is ordered towards certain goods and that happiness will be his in the end.
Specifically, this particular scene washes the father out of the picture — acts as if he never existed. This is wrong — it is unjust. Two women cannot be the parents of a child.
You don't have to expose your child to this sort of thing, and in fact, you shouldn't. It hurts him because he knows what others have lied about: one situation is not as good as another! He knows in his heart of hearts that every child ought to have a mother and a father; that man and woman are made for each other — by God.
Read this: Other funny children's chapter books to read aloud:
The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (I wrote more about this here.)
B is for Betsy and Betsy and Billy by Carolyn Haywood (and who thought any of these “updated” covers were in any way attractive? I ask you! Try to find an old copy!)
The Henry and Ribsy series by Beverly Cleary (her books are usually pretty funny, to a kid at least)
Penrod by Booth Tarkington (I wrote more about this here)
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish (for very young chapter-book readers who are trying to figure out why you say things like “dress” the chicken — if you do ever roast a whole chicken!)
What funny books do you love to read out loud with your children?
Amanda says
I loved this series when I was little! Looking forward to introducing it to my kids when they are older. Its too bad that this charming character had to receive a modern update. Thank you for the Library Project! My book list has grown much larger thanks to it.
Angelique says
The Ordinary Princess, Farmer Giles of Ham, The Magical Journey of Prince Jen.
Judy says
Aw, happy memories! My kids loved these! (My youngest is 14 now.)
Alicia says
We’ve read everything by Beverly Cleary and enjoyed it very much.
Lady Lollipop was a funny read aloud.
Melissa D says
I’m always excited to read Milne’s tales of Pooh and Piglet and friends as well as Paddington Bear’s various chronicles. The chapter where Pooh and pals are looking for Christopher Robin is the absolute best (“It’s Small!”). I think we re-read it a few times before moving forward, just to laugh all over again. Same with Paddington spying on the builders next door — we laughed til we cried. (That’s in the first book.)
I love the Schadenfreude Perfection chapter in Penrod where his saintly friend is climbing the pole “up — up –up” to heaven and sliding “down — down — down” to hell. My kids are a tad too young for this now, but I can’t wait to introduce them to Penrod, Sam and the gang. 🙂
For younger ones, The Animals at Maple HIll Farm, by the Provensens, is about ….all the animals that live at Maple Hill Farm. But one cat just does nothing but use the cat pan or gaze into space. And an obnoxious rooster is carried away by a fox, very deservedly, but it looks like the abduction of Clarissa, very dramatic. It’s another sweet but funny book that keeps on giving!
Many modern children’s books are so burdened by a relentless vision of equality (of the most uninteresting sort) that they feel neutered of this kind of joyous humor.
Isabelle says
It’s funny you should be poking at online groups right now, just today I’ve had to navigate some mothers ganging up on another one who wasn’t doing all the same things they did on Facebook. I think the amount of nastiness in such groups often far out-weighs the semblance of support they offer.
It’s as if you had been onto something with the whole “you need to meet in person” thing… 😄
I have never read Mrs piggle-Wiggle though, I’m clearly missing out!
Julie says
We love Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, too (though a few chapters seem to go on f.o.r.e.v.e.r, especially at bedtime). Uncle Wiggly is a favorite here.
Rosie says
My children all thought Pippi Longstocking was hilarious! And lots and lots of giggles from my 7-year-old when he read a few of the Ramona books (although he prefers Henry Huggins, but loves all Beverly Cleary). They think Roald Dahl is pretty funny but I don’t like reading those aloud (and some of them are CREEPY! I liked them as a kid, but as an adult… not always.). And we love Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, of course!
Also, 100% agree that those new Carolyn Haywood covers are atrocious. Have you seen the new covers for Noel Streatfeild’s Shoe books? Awful. Who would ever look at those and think that inside were the amazing, amazing stories like Ballet Shoes and Theatre Shoes? Nobody. Ugh.
Tia says
I read the Twits to my kids recently. I thought it was HILARIOUS as a child and absolutely loved it. Now I’m struck by the mean-spiritedness that seems to run through Dahl’s books. But I guess maybe it taps into something in the child’s psyche which is why they’re so popular?
Michael says
I whole-heartedly agree with a great deal of the sentiment, but the particular example selected for excoriation does not seem to be the best.
Firstly, the Hilary Knight illustrations for Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle were not the originals. The 1947 first book was illustrated by Richard Bennett. See https://bettymacdonaldblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/mrs-piggle-wiggle_english_1947_hardcoveruw-lib-copy_front.jpg?w=627&h=933
The 1949 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic was illustrated by Kurt Wiese in the U.S. (and by one Beattie in the UK). The 1954 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Farm was illustrated by Maurice Sendak. All of these were re-illustrated by Hilary Knight in the late 1950s. The 1957 Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was the only one of the four original Piggle-Wiggle books to have Knight’s illustrations from first edition (and only in the U.S. – the UK first edition had the illustrations of Anne Scott). One is certainly entitled to prefer Knight’s interpretation, but it should be understood that he is Hilary-come-lately.
Secondly, the titular star of the new book is “Missy Piggle-Wiggle” the niece of good old Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. This does not appear to be a rebooting of the original character. So, they have used “the old ones as a starting point” which is what you have advocated, yes?
Lastly, the daughter of Betty MacDonald has been involved in this stuff since 2007 when she “co-authored” Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle with her deceased mother, so it’s not really “news” in 2016. My own strategy is just to ignore anything beyond the original books (mine are hardcover with Knight illustrations).
For some fun, have a look at the variety of covers at https://bettymacdonaldblog.wordpress.com/ – but be aware some details are erroneous.
There are many of these updatings that are truly problematic. Nancy Drew comes immediately to mind, or the Boxcar Children – and remember that despite what the publisher implies at http://www.boxcarchildren.com/, the first was published in 1924, not 1942. But it is important to know the full history. And let’s not even get into what Disney has done with Winnie-the-Pooh and so many others.
Thank you so much for your continued efforts!
Leila says
Michael, you are right of course about Hilary Knight — however, I do like those illustrations best. I am glad to see that the new ones are good.
Compared to some other “read this not that” posts, I didn’t do much actual excoriating in this one… 🙂
I do worry that the old ones will be forgotten. To me, using a book as a starting-off point isn’t “write sequels/imitations” but somehow pay homage while doing something fresh. Thinking of, for example, how Edward Eager clearly based his books on E. Nesbit’s and referenced them, but also did something of his own there.
jennifer says
Oh, I remember loving the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books as a child! Thanks for this reminder. Off to put them on hold at the library now so I can read them with my boys!
Katie says
I do not know what I would do without your wonderful blog! Thank you for the book ideas, and all the rest of the wonderful advice and content 🙂 We are reading Swallows and Amazons, and the Beatrix Potter collection presently.
Robin says
Thank you!
Mimi says
We were just reading this book for the first time last week, and my children were rolling with laughter from the same line about the toaster. The audio version of the books are great as well! The description of all the food being brought to the social gatherings of the mothers is hysterical. Thanks for the suggestions as well. We could use a little more humor in our read alouds!
Kimberlee says
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is classic, indeed. Such great first books for beginning readers just tackling chapter books.
For read aloud Funny we like Uncle, Freddy the Pig, Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense, and a real family favorite here -The Pushcart War.
Sarah says
Oh, The Pushcart War is hilarious! I loved that one and haven’t thought about it in a while. Thanks for the reminder!
Anitra says
I loved Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, but we listened to an audio version of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Farm recently, and it was ok but not great.
1) it was a very slow start. Once we got in past the whole introduction of who Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is and why she’s on a farm now, etc, the pace was a lot better. I’m glad that my memory is not failing me, since you confirm the other books don’t have as much of a lead up.
2) my kids *could not* relate to many of the problems presented (except maybe the one who can’t focus…) and the idea that, for example, a child of 8 or 9 would be left alone, with no adult supervision, to take care of animals, just boggled their minds. They found it unbelievable (and that was one of the pedestrian aspects of the original stories!)
I think it’s that particular book more than the series, however. I think I will see if I can pick some of the other, more “magical” Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books and dive back in.
Dyan says
I teach 3rd graders, and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is my first read-aloud of the year! I also read Homer Price. The kids really enjoy these wonderful stories!
I enjoy your posts! Thank you for continuing to share your thoughts with us.
Annalisa says
In addition to some of those already mentioned, we think Owls in the Family, by Farley Mowat is quite entertaining.
sibyl says
Oh, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. My favorite is the one where the little bratty girl says, “I’ll do because I want to, not because you tell me too, mattam!” And then she gets the parrot that says the same thing to her. Really funny!
Winnie the Pooh, the original Milne versions with the original drawings, are priceless to read aloud, although slower in pace. My own mother read those aloud to me, and she had an amazing range of vocal characters. Even today, we say the words of Eeyore: “I don’t want to mention it, but I just mention it…”
Eleanor Estes’ book “Rufus M.” is also a wonderfully funny book: the whole first chapter, which describes how he learns to spell his name, is really great.
Elizabeth says
I have a question for all of you out there. My MIL consistently gifts my children with books that are of the ‘not that’ category. She doesn’t mean bad at all, she’s a christian and a kindergarten teacher. But she just picks books that ‘build character’ and usually have very bland, boring, often badly written (sometimes even spelled) stories.
I keep sending her emails that go like: x is really into this bookseries right now and we haven’t got this part of the series… (hint hint). Or: these are some books that we’d really love for Christmas, with an amazon list. And she always writes back: thank you! I’ll look into it! And then she goes out and buys what she likes herself.
What am I to do? She gives us lots of books, but they are almost always dreadful. The children are attached to grandma’s books and I have to read them these annoying books ad infinitum. It’s like eating cold oatmeal, day in day out.
Dixie says
That’s a tough one. Sometimes I do the following when they are attached to an objectively stupid book or one that I just can’t stand reading: “I don’t much like to read that one; you can ask Papa if he will read it to you when he gets home, or you can sit beside me and just look at it.” The book gets read much less (and I don’t have to do it!) and the attachment quickly wanes, and when I eventually toss/donate it, there is less resistance than if I just axed the book. (I do dispose of morally objectionable books right away.) You might try it.
Elizabeth says
Yes, I do that and also put away books in less obvious places, so they get read less. But grandma remembers everything she gave to us and when she comes over, asks the child if she can read book x with her, always one that she gave. So I am too nervous to toss. But I’ll admit that I’ve let the baby tear a book or two apart…
Tia says
This is one of our problems. Family has subscribed us to a book club that sends the most irritating books. At best they are annoying and repetitive : They all have the form of a song with rounds (Mr. Chicken hit the bucket and Mr. Tiger hit the bee and Mr. Rabbit hit the leaf and Mr. Toad hit the worm, etc. etc.). They are often poorly copyedited, and their morals are either bland and pedantic or outright objectionable.
Obviously don’t want to be ungrateful but these books are clogging up our book space, and the worst part is the kids really enjoy reading them, so we are stuck reading the mental equivalent of 99-bottles-of-beer-on-the-wall over and over again!
Carol Kennedy says
How about a special Grandma’s Books box/basket/bookcase that is only used during certain “special” silent reading times? Let them practice independent reading occasionally from that basket and use other’s for read aloud. Just a thought.
sibyl says
What a sweet grandma. She wants so much to give good things to her grandkids. But maybe you could look at it the way you might if she were giving clothes that were cheap, looked bad, and didn’t fit right. Keep a couple for the times when she comes, but donate the rest. It really is a question of forming their taste, their imaginations — I really wouldn’t let them be read except during Grandma’s visits. Especially read-alouds. When you read out loud you are presenting a story to your children as worthy of your adult time and effort — don’t knowingly give them junk food on a daily basis.
Would she ever be open to very gentle words, such as “We are so grateful for your generosity, but these books aren’t exactly our style. I’m just not sure we would use them if you get us any more.” ?
Briony says
We have a similar problem (irritating books AND annoyingly noisy toys which talk). Our current system (working well so far!) is to manouvre these items over the Grandma’s house for use when we, or just children, are visiting. It saves us carting things over and saves my ears and sanity.
Dixie says
No exactly funny books, but I really hope the What Katy Did series by Susan Coolidge won’t be forgotten. Our library has no copies. They are so satisfying and comforting to read! Perhaps more interesting to girls after the first book, but just really great. I must have read them each a dozen times. I still think of the spectacular Christmas box full of cookies and flowers sent to Katy and Clover at school in What Katy Did Next!
Claire Rebecca says
We had the Miss Piggle-Wiggle Treasury when I was little and loved it! Mom used to give us a page max when she was tired and we had to pick a story under that limit.
Carol Kennedy says
My kids love Mrs Piggle-Wiggle (as I did as a kid), but we also have loved The Melendys Series, The Moffats Series, as well as E. Nesbit, The Happy Hollisters, and The Mitchells.
And on the subject of the plethora of parenting advice on the internet, here is a quote from the second book in the Mitchells series that my son read out to me last night and made me laugh—Little Timmy had made a mess on the floor, to which he admits and…
“Then you’ll have to sweep it up yourself,” said Mother sternly, handing him the broom and feeling like one of those clever mothers in the Parent’s Magazine who are forever finding ways of improving their children.”
Jenny says
I always love your book posts, Auntie Leila! Even though I’m near 4o, I still chuckle when I remember a line from an Amelia Bedelia book I read as a child. Amelia is filling in as a eacher and has to call roll, so she finds a roll (the bread kind) and calls for it.
Margo, Thrift at Home says
We just, tonight, finished Belles on Their Toes which is the sequel to Cheaper by the Dozen. My kids (8 and 10) LOVED those books! We watched the movie, too, which was charming.
We also get a serious laugh out of George Speaks by Dick King Smith. My kids like all his books (Pigs Might Fly, Charlie Muffin and the Miracle Mouse and. . . . others. . . that I can’t recall).
And The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. We usually read that about every other year.
Melissa D says
Oh thank you for remembering the Gilbreths! This would fit us great — just have to dig up a good reading copy!
Rozy says
We loved the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series of books too. I personally enjoy her books for adults; my mom introduced me to them when I was in high school. I read some of the Henry Huggins books by Beverly Cleary to our boys and we all enjoyed those. I never like the Ramona books because seems to be a little undisciplined brat. But that’s just me. I rather like the Beverly Cleary books for girls, Sister of the Bride, Jean and Johnny, Fifteen and The Luckiest Girl. They capture the sweet innocence of teen romance with all its awkwardness and embarrassment without any immorality. We also read the Ralph Moody books which are particularly great for boys (we have four sons). My daughter and I enjoyed Daddy Long Legs as a read-aloud too. A book I discovered too late to read to our children, but highly recommend is Understood Betsy, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. It is delightfully funny. And let’s not forget Anne of Green Gables!
Dyan says
I love Understood Betsy! I also liked Gene Stratton-Porter’s Girl of the Limberlost and Freckles.
Sonja Maierhauser says
Rozy, I didn’t know Betty MacDonald wrote for adults. I just ordered “The Egg and I” from the library. Thanks for the recommendation!
Rozy says
Let me know how you like it. I think she is a witty writer with a wonderful sense of humor.
rozylass@gmail.com
Michael says
Nancy and Plum (1952) is another Betty MacDonald book for kids that is just wonderful. It’s been republished with new modern illustrations that aren’t all that offensive, but aren’t anything special. One thing I noted when reading it were the specific titles of books that are mentioned as being favorites of the characters:
Robinson Crusoe (1719)
Oliver Twist (1838)
David Copperfield (1850)
The Water Babies (1863)
Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (1865)
Tom Sawyer (1876)
Black Beauty (1877)
Heidi (1881)
Toby Tyler (1881)
Pinocchio (1883)
The Adventures of Robin Hood [The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood] (1883)
Treasure Island (1883)
Huckleberry Finn (1884)
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886)
Timothy’s Quest (1890)
The Jungle Book (1894)
The Live Dolls [The Story of Live Dolls] (1901)
King Arthur [The Story of King Arthur and His Knights] (1903)
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903)
Dandelion Cottage (1904)
Sara Crewe [A Little Princess] (1905)
Anne of Green Gables (1908)
The Secret Garden (1911)
“and, of course, all of the fairy tales”
A pretty good reading list right there!
Julie says
Freddy the Pig series should not be missed either. We absolutely love these books!
Christina A says
Natasha’s Advent book story on Instagram was wonderful! One of the last books made me remember the comments section of this post: The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco. Sadly, a friend bought a new edition of this book wherein two women are “married” under the chuppah. :/ So this is another one to purchase only in older editions.
Micky says
Must read HALF MAGIC by Edward Eager. Hilarious!