Little Pig Joins the Band

by David Hyde Costello, David Hyde Costello (Illustrator)

Overview

Little Pig has trouble keeping up with his four older—and bigger—brothers and sisters. When a visit to Grandpa's house turns into a rummage through Grandpa's old marching-band instruments, Little Pig is too small to play any of them. But when the disorganized band has a pig-pile mishap, Little Pig has a BIG idea: They could use a leader.

David Hyde Costello's warm illustrations and goofy speech-bubble dialogue add giggles galore to this iconic story of little-siblinghood. Perfect for youngests, oldests, and everyone in between!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580892650
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	09/09/2014
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Hyde Costello has worked as a scenic artist for motion pictures and the stage. David has also painted and created puppets for theatrical productions. He is the author of Here They Come! and I Can Help. David lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. Visit him online at www.davidhydecostello.com.

Read an Excerpt

Sometimes Little Pig didn't like being little, or even being called Little Pig. When his brothers and sisters got out Grandpa's old marching-band instruments, Little Pig looked for something he could play. Little Pig was too little to play the drum, so Margie played the drum. Little Pig was too little to play the trombone, so Peter played the trombone. Little Pig was too little to play the trumpet, so Sally played the trumpet.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Little Pig Joins the Band"
by .
Copyright © 2014 David Hyde Costello.
Excerpted by permission of Charlesbridge.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

"Costello’s winsome tale explores the travails of being the youngest and the littlest."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Costello isn't pioneering new ground with this story of how a family's littlest member asserts his competence, but the combination of lovely and understated text, sly watercolors, and a protagonist who knows in his heart that he's right make the premise feel fresh and funny."
—Publishers Weekly

"An uplifting tale with a gentle lesson about how even the smallest member of the band has something to contribute."
—Shelf Awareness

"Young readers will likely recognize Little Pig's predicament and give his take-charge solution a big hand."
—The Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

"Sometimes Little Pig didn't like being little, or even being called Little Pig," writes Costello, as his diminutive hero, taking up what readers can assume is his usual position at the distant end of a family procession, vainly attempts to remind his oblivious relations: "My name is Jacob!" Things only get worse when the family puts together an impromptu band from Grandpa's collection of instruments: when Little Pig asks whether there's something smaller to play, like a piccolo, an elder cheerfully remarks, "There's a jar in the fridge, behind the olives." But the ensemble gives Little Pig his opening when they prove utterly unable to coordinate their movements: seeing them colliding and collapsed in a pig pile on the floor, Little Pig "knew what the problem was—the band needed a leader!" Costello (I Can Help) isn't pioneering new ground with this story of how a family's littlest member asserts his competence, but the combination of lovely and understated text, sly watercolors, and a protagonist who knows in his heart that he's right make the premise feel fresh and funny. Ages 4–7. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Pre-S-Gr 2—David Hyde Costello's humorous story (Charlesbridge, 2011) about Little Pig who is too small to play any of the marching band instruments stored in a box at Grandpa's house. Whenever Little Pig asks his siblings a question, it is comically misheard. For example, when he asks if there are any piccolos, the response is "There's a jar in the fridge behind the olives." Finally, Little Pig realizes that the rag-tag group needs a little organization, so he finds a whistle and gets them lined up and marching in step. Costello's clever asides come to life via Emily Eiden's terrific narration. The "Little Pig March," composed by Rory Young and Arnie Cardillo, is wonderful and all the music and sound effects add to the meaning and enjoyment of the text. Costello's illustrations are spot-on! Pair this with Mary Raynor's Garth Pig Steals the Show (Dutton, 1993), A Pig Parade Is a Terrible Idea (S & S, 2010) by Michael Ian Black, and the DVD version of the tale (SLJ, Sept. 2012) from Nutmeg Media. This delightful production will be enjoyed by students and teachers and might even inspire them to organize a class parade.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY

School Library Journal

Costello's winsome tale explores the travails of being the youngest and the littlest.

When Little Pig, a.k.a. Jacob, and his brothers and sisters visit their grandpa, they break out his old marching-band instruments. Little Pig, to his dismay, discovers he's just too little to play the drum or trumpet, let alone the trombone or tuba. When his siblings can't get their playing or marching act together—hey presto!—a drum major is born, small of stature but packing a big whistle. Much of the book's amiability derives from the artwork, sure-handed watercolors that are active but not busy, with (most of) the pigs having a merry old time trooping about, tooting and pounding away, collapsing in a heap. Yet the words add a considerable measure to the pleasure. Costello has built a story under the arching narrative, a body of asides that add color commentary: "Do we have any piccolos?" asks Little Pig. "There's a jar in the fridge, behind the olives," replies his distracted sister. "A kazoo?" "Gesundheit." And when Little Pig does succeed—wielding his baton, he is now Jacob in his siblings' eyes—he takes it with humility: "You can call me Little Pig."

Humor lifts the story from a simple tale of woe to transcendence.(Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews