Oomph! (Preston Pig) by Colin McNaughton

A Preston Pig Story

by Colin McNaughton

After Preston Pig bumps--Oomph!--into the lively Maxine, he knows that his vacation at the beach is going to be the best ever. Together Preston and his brand-new friend enjoy all sorts of beachy activities, much to the dismay of Mr. Wolf, whose accident-filled getaway is keeping him from his favorite activity--trying to eat Preston! A winning addition to the popular Preston Pig series, this playful, witty story of summer fun and young porcine love will have readers laughing all the way to the beach.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals

Paperback

First published January 4, 2001

About the author

Growing up in his native England, the young Colin McNaughton had little indication that he would one day become an author-illustrator. There were no books at all in his parents' home, he recalls, but there were always comics. These were his formative literature, and their slapstick humor has been a lasting influence. "I've been talking about the comic format for years," he says. "It's the modern way of telling stories for today's children; it's about movement, the step between film and the book."


Colin McNaughton says he "hated school. The word 'school' still gives me nightmares." Opting for technical college, he admits he even "made a mess of getting in there -- I'd filled out the application wrong, and when I turned up for registration they'd never heard of me!" So he worked at odd jobs for the next year before entering art school. Although his first book was published while he was still in school, Colin McNaughton did not immediately become a full-time artist. He first tried editorial and advertising work, but did not find the satisfaction that he got out of creating children's books. "At the end of it, there it is, a book on the shelf, not like a newspaper in the gutter. In fact, once you start thinking about it, it's a smashing job!" If the response to his books is any indication, children and adults seem to agree that Colin McNaughton is doing a "smashing job."


Colin McNaughton lives in London with his wife.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Jamieson · Rating 1 out of 5]

My least favourite out of the set... too much kissing?!