The Mellops Strike Oil

by Tomi Ungerer

After discovering oil while picnicking in the country, the Mellops pig family sets up an oil drilling rig that produces more trouble than oil.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer was a French illustrator best known for his erotic and political illustrations as well as children's books.

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardzo przyjemna i optymistyczna książka dla dzieci. Przekaz jest jasny i zrozumiały przez najmłodszych czytelników. Szata graficzna ascetyczna, ale wystarczająca - pobudza wyobraźnię. Jedynym „problemem” może być fakt, że książka została napisana w 1957 roku i od tamtego czasu zmieniły się nieco role społeczne matek i ojców. Kulturowo trąci myszką, chociaż z drugiej strony zachęca do dyskusji z dziećmi.

[Little · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does not hold up well; digging for oil, causing major environmental destruction, and then going home and laughing it off with some cream cake is not my idea of a good story. But some good vocabulary for my almost 3 year old.

[Viviana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't know oil strikes could be so adorable

[Bookstork Buzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

How cute is this book? Mr. Mellops and his darling piglets Casimir, Felix, Isidor and Ferdinand attempt to get rich quick, this time by drilling for oïl. As always with the Mellops and their kooky misadventures, everything that can possibly go wrong goes utterly wrong.

Mr. Mellops is smart as a whip: he plans it all so meticulously. He visits the museum where he learns about fossil fuels (stuff I didn’t know myself). He and the kids build a derrick, set up a mechanical drill and while waiting for that wealth of crude ‘n lovely oïl, they camp, they cook, they sing, they have an all around good time. To top it off, the ground begins to shake and – hoorah! hoorah! – a fountain of oïl spurts forth!

Success? Yes! But wait, the plan unravels! There is a leak, an oily dog, a passing car, a lit cigar, poof! – a ferocious fuming forest fire! Oh-me-god! Is this the end for the Mellops? Thank goodness for the usual happy conclusion: a healthy helping of Mrs. Mellops’ delicious cream cake!

[Nicolette]

THIS wonderful book tells the story about the Mellops family who while out on a picnic one summer morning suspect there is oil underground.
Mr Mellops goes to the library to do some research on how to find oil. Then the family gets to work on drilling for oil. The little piggies are quite ingenious when it comes to building all the rigging contraptions. They get my vote for knowing some very big words. Kids can learn so much from this book which is simply but beautifully illustrated.
The Mellops tales were first published over 50 years ago. Other books in the series include The Mellops Go Diving for Treasure and Christmas Eve at the Mellops.

[Tyrone Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Mellops Strike Oil,” by Tomi Ungerer is a fiction story about a happy little family of pigs who discover an oil reserve. This story introduces science words like derrick, stones and fossils. It also has a part in it about the dangers of causing a forest fire. It is a very exciting story that ends well for the family. I would recommend this for Pre-K to 2nd graders.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

bicycles, a picnic, library visits, camp fire sobgs and an oil fire - just another adventurous day in the Mellop family.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, this is me going all pc- wtf- oil spills and forest fires, and the lesson to be learned is let someone else do that because it's dirty work. I am not on the same page with this one.