Captain Small Pig
Publisher: Andersen Press
In picturing this quiet day out on the river with Turkey, Old Goat and Small Pig, Waddell and Varley have created a gently humorous text redolent of folk tales from many cultures.
The illustrations are clearly of the 21st century but are nevertheless reminiscent of classic E.H. Shepherd.
Small Pig looks and behaves rather as though he may be a descendent of Milne’s Piglet, while the watery adventures recall Grahame’s stories of Mr Toad and his friends.
Old Goat is as kindly as Turkey is irascible, but they both ensure that Small Pig carries home wonderful memories of his boating achievements.
A charming tale in itself, this would also act as an appetiser for young readers ready to enjoy the more substantial escapades written a century earlier.
