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The Great Pig Search
A postcard from Florida with a mysterious one-word message—OINK!—is the only clue to the whereabouts of the pigs that ran away from Bert and Ethel in The Great Pig Escape. Acting on this slim lead, Bert frantically searches the crowded streets and muddy swamps of the Sunshine State, never noticing the hilariously dressed porkers hiding in plain sight.
Are there pigs under those beach umbrellas, or rocking and rolling to the tunes of the Squealers? Come along with Bert on his great pig search and discover who’s hamming it up under the sun.
Are there pigs under those beach umbrellas, or rocking and rolling to the tunes of the Squealers? Come along with Bert on his great pig search and discover who’s hamming it up under the sun.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2001
13 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Christelow
76 books51 followersEileen Christelow is an acclaimed American author and illustrator of children’s books, best known for her beloved Five Little Monkeys series. Beginning with Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, a playful retelling of the classic nursery rhyme, the series has captivated generations of young readers with its humor and rhythmic storytelling. Over the course of her career, Christelow has published more than 30 books, encompassing both fiction and nonfiction, and many inspired by her surroundings in Vermont, her family life, and even her dog, Emma.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1943, Christelow spent her formative years in Connecticut and briefly in Japan, where she attended the American School in Tokyo. She studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, a discipline that would influence her later work in design and illustration. After working for several years as a freelance photographer, she turned her focus to writing and illustrating picture books while raising her daughter in California. Her earliest works, Henry and the Red Stripes and Mr. Murphy’s Marvelous Invention, were published by Clarion Books in the early 1980s.
Christelow’s books often celebrate storytelling, curiosity, and mischief, appealing to children and educators alike. Titles like What Do Authors Do?, What Do Illustrators Do?, and Vote! provide engaging nonfiction content for young readers, while others such as Letters From a Desperate Dog and The Great Pig Escape draw on humorous real-life scenarios. Her works have received numerous accolades and several Five Little Monkeys titles have been translated into Spanish and Chinese.
She continues to live and work in East Dummerston, Vermont, in a home designed by her husband, where she draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the state. Christelow remains a cherished voice in children’s literature, with a lasting legacy of entertaining and educating young readers.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1943, Christelow spent her formative years in Connecticut and briefly in Japan, where she attended the American School in Tokyo. She studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, a discipline that would influence her later work in design and illustration. After working for several years as a freelance photographer, she turned her focus to writing and illustrating picture books while raising her daughter in California. Her earliest works, Henry and the Red Stripes and Mr. Murphy’s Marvelous Invention, were published by Clarion Books in the early 1980s.
Christelow’s books often celebrate storytelling, curiosity, and mischief, appealing to children and educators alike. Titles like What Do Authors Do?, What Do Illustrators Do?, and Vote! provide engaging nonfiction content for young readers, while others such as Letters From a Desperate Dog and The Great Pig Escape draw on humorous real-life scenarios. Her works have received numerous accolades and several Five Little Monkeys titles have been translated into Spanish and Chinese.
She continues to live and work in East Dummerston, Vermont, in a home designed by her husband, where she draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the state. Christelow remains a cherished voice in children’s literature, with a lasting legacy of entertaining and educating young readers.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 13, 2022
I think this book is hilarious and I highly recommend reading it. And it is kind of funny that there are pigs everywhere and they never notice any of them.
October 14, 2022
its very funny
July 23, 2019
This is a fun read-aloud. I like to have my students look carefully at the pictures to find the comedy in the story.
August 8, 2019
This was funny. I think kids would like finding and pointing out all the pigs they see on the pages.
October 15, 2014
What do you do when you are a farmer and all your pigs go missing? You find them, of course! Bert the farmer is on a mission to find his missing pigs no matter what his wife, Ethel, has to say about it. Yet, where could the pigs have possibly gone? Well to Florida, of course! Bert and Ethel take a vacation to this swampy state with two different goals in mind. For Ethel, it is the perfect vacation with her husband. To Bert, this ‘vacation’ is all about finding the runaway pigs. After all, how hard can it be to find a bunch of pigs in Florida?
This pig-tastic tale will lead the reader on a chase of a lifetime. This book truly portrays the saying, “the thing you are looking for is usually right in front of your face”. Bert cannot seem to find a single pig in Florida, but the reader can see that the pigs are actually disguising themselves as people in order to blend in. The artwork gives the audience a clear picture of what is happening, while giving clues that the characters are clearly not seeing. Bert notices the strange traits of some of the locals, but he dismisses every sign as soon as his wife warns him, “NO PIGS!” The pigs’ disguises leave the reader laughing at the various outfits that the pigs put on. The genre is definitely fiction for this reason along with several others. The story begins at the farm, but then moves locations to the great state of Florida. The plot is very much a straight line with little to no action in the beginning or middle. The climax of the story is the one great ‘Hurrah!’ and then the ending happens with a small amount of falling action. The colors of the illustrations are very bright with thick black lines outlining the various elements of the illustration. This is a book where the audience will know more than the characters ever will, as they turn each page of this comedic story.
This pig-tastic tale will lead the reader on a chase of a lifetime. This book truly portrays the saying, “the thing you are looking for is usually right in front of your face”. Bert cannot seem to find a single pig in Florida, but the reader can see that the pigs are actually disguising themselves as people in order to blend in. The artwork gives the audience a clear picture of what is happening, while giving clues that the characters are clearly not seeing. Bert notices the strange traits of some of the locals, but he dismisses every sign as soon as his wife warns him, “NO PIGS!” The pigs’ disguises leave the reader laughing at the various outfits that the pigs put on. The genre is definitely fiction for this reason along with several others. The story begins at the farm, but then moves locations to the great state of Florida. The plot is very much a straight line with little to no action in the beginning or middle. The climax of the story is the one great ‘Hurrah!’ and then the ending happens with a small amount of falling action. The colors of the illustrations are very bright with thick black lines outlining the various elements of the illustration. This is a book where the audience will know more than the characters ever will, as they turn each page of this comedic story.
September 20, 2014
This was a cute book but not a great one. It was about a farmer whose pigs ran away and he was looking for them. He was on vacation with his wife in Florida and he thought he kept seeing them everywhere. He began to drive his wife nuts because he would not stop looking for pigs on their vacation.
Even though the illustrations did not blow me away, they reminded me of comic book strips. Simple but not cheap looking. My favorite part was the pigs in disguise throughout the book. Definitely something a kid would find fun to look for.
Even though the illustrations did not blow me away, they reminded me of comic book strips. Simple but not cheap looking. My favorite part was the pigs in disguise throughout the book. Definitely something a kid would find fun to look for.
April 16, 2014
We all misplace things and then try to find them. This book is a funny story and shows that even adults loss things that are valuable to them but not things we always need to worry about. We should not let that one thing worry us and get in the way of other things that our important to us. This will teach the students the value of their items.
December 30, 2016
a couple starts out with loosing their pigs; and the man wants to find the pigs. He worries about them and wants to find them. His wife takes him on a vacation and all the while in the illustrations the pigs are in the background doing various things within the community... a sly way of getting the reader to pay attention to the illustrations.
November 18, 2010
Spot those pigs!
May 26, 2013
This and the other pig one by Christelow are great! Fun to look for the pigs in disguise on each page.
August 16, 2013
This story would make a fun read-aloud... but the listeners would have to each be able to really see the pictures to fully enjoy.
April 2, 2015
Hahahahaha...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews