Garth Pig Steals the Show

The Pig Family

by Mary Rayner

During a musical concert for the mayor, the family Pig Players discover that their newest member, a lady sousaphonist, likes pigs just a little too much

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Music, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1993

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fun and funny picture book about the Pig family. In this story, the family forms a band, and they're going to play at a charity concert. But since the piglets are all so little, their band needs more bass and less treble, so the family puts an ad in the paper for someone who can play a deeper-sounding instrument. On the night of the concert, a sousaphone player shows up... and proceeds to try to make off with one of the piglets! It's the wily wolf, of course (she's made a number of appearances in these books, and she always gets away...).

Some of the lines in this are laugh-out-loud funny. I don't know why Mr. and Mrs. Pig are so oblivious when it comes to this wolf-lady, but I'm glad they are because it sets up some hilarious situations. (Don't worry, though. Nobody actually gets eaten.)

I don't remember this one from my childhood, but it was great fun to read even as an adult. Highly recommended... if you can find a copy!

Quotable moment:

"It's a sousaphone," said the lady. "The biggest, deepest tuba there is. I saw your ad."

"Wonderful! But do you know we can't pay you? It's for charity. You'd be helping pigs."

"I'll do it for free. It's a chance I wouldn't miss for anything," said the lady. "Nothing I like better than a helping of pig."

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pig family forms a band, and after much practice they are asked to perform a charity show at Town Hall. A mysterious sousaphone player answers their ad to join the band. When it's time to perform during the show Garth suddenly vanishes, and the sousaphone player tries to sneak away. Quick thinking by brother William allows Garth to save the concert.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware of sousaphone players in disguise...

[Esodhiambo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Instruments
Three little pigs
Wolf
Background knowledge
Irony

[Emily Von pfahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Garth has to save himself from that hungry wolf yet again.