What This Story Needs Is a Munch and a Crunch (Pig in a Wig Series)

by Emma J. Virjan, Emma J. Virjan (Illustrator)

Overview

Join Pig and her friends in another fun read-aloud adventure as they figure out a way to keep the picnic fun and games going, even with a little rain.

What this story needs
is a pig in a wig
baking bread,
pouring punch,
and meeting a friend for a picnic lunch.

But just as the outdoor fun and games get started, a thunderstorm rolls in and it turns out what this story really needs is . . . another place to eat!

The "What This Story Needs..." books are bright and lively and inspire giggles. "A story with echoes of Seuss and Willems," School Library Journal said in a starred review of What This Story Needs Is a Hush and a Shush.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062415295
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/10/2016
Series:	Pig in a Wig Series
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Emma J. Virján was born under an Aries moon on a Wednesday, her dad’s bowling night. She loves to draw and work in her garden, and she often lets her dog sleep on the couch. She makes her home in Austin, Texas, where she spends her days as an illustrator and graphic designer. Unlike Pig, Emma has never worn a wig, but she is thinking of buying one—a red one, of course. Visit her at \ www.emmavirjan.com.

Emma J. Virján was born under an Aries moon on a Wednesday, her dad’s bowling night. She loves to draw and work in her garden, and she often lets her dog sleep on the couch. She makes her home in Austin, Texas, where she spends her days as an illustrator and graphic designer. Unlike Pig, Emma has never worn a wig, but she is thinking of buying one—a red one, of course. Visit her at \ www.emmavirjan.com.

Editorial Reviews

...schools and libraries should plan on picnicking with this pig in a wig.” — Kirkus Reviews

“[Readers] will want to reread this journey over and over again...Another hit in the series, this offering is sure to fly off the shelf.” — School Library Journal

“Virjan’s brightly colored charcoal artwork, populated by cheery, expressive cartoon creatures, is a great complement for the cumulative rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, and the cyclical nature of the story will help new readers.” — Booklist Online

From the Publisher

Virjan’s brightly colored charcoal artwork, populated by cheery, expressive cartoon creatures, is a great complement for the cumulative rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, and the cyclical nature of the story will help new readers.

Booklist Online

06/01/2016
PreS-K—Fans of the protagonist of What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig will be glad she is back with another fun adventure with her friends Squirrel and Rabbit. Pig prepares a picnic with "some good friends[,] crunching and munching by the trees," until a sudden storm has them making a mad dash for safety. "Whoosh Boom Plop Splash." Can Pig save the day? The digitally painted illustrations follow the text, making it easy for emerging readers to recognize new words. They will want to reread this journey over and over again. VERDICT Another hit in the series, this offering is sure to fly off the shelf.—Andrea Pavlik, Huntington Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

2016-02-17
Super silliness helps new readers practice. Virján uses just 54 different words and five sentences that list familiar items, mostly food. With very short phrases on each page, beginning readers can turn the pages quickly. Despite its brevity, the story has a satisfying arc, beginning with the pig in a bright red wig preparing a picnic, then being joined by a squirrel and rabbit friend for games and lunch. Rain sends them inside but doesn't dampen this cheerful trio's spirits. The story is too brief for chapters, but each section starts with "What this story needs is"—again giving new readers a chunk of recognizable vocabulary. Most of the vocabulary consists of one-syllable standards, while clues in the clear, digitally colored illustrations make more challenging words ("sandwiches," "few," "breeze") easy to figure out. Best of all, the rhyming text bounces along without resorting to irritating singsong. The only quibble is the rather abrupt end: "What this story needs now is... / another place to eat." Adding the word "lunch" would have brought the story arc full circle while maintaining the rhythm of the text. Nitpicking aside, schools and libraries should plan on picnicking with this pig in a wig. (Early reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews