Aaron Blabey, Pig the Elf, Scholastic Australia, 26 Oct 2016, 24pp., $16.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760154271
The ever-popular award wining pug is back on our bookshelves with a Christmas romp that will make readers laugh out loud. In his masterful manner Blabey pulls off short pacey rhyming text alongside matching spaced pictorial compositions. A limited palette of midnight blues, rich yet muted reds and seasonal greens allows the offset details to sparkle with a real Christmas Eve tingle, allowing readers to enter into the festive atmosphere with glee.
In perfect counterpoint to the over excited Pig, stuffed into his Christmas ‘onesy’ is his tranquil and long-suffering friend Trevor. Pig commits the unthinkable in not only waiting up for Santa, but arguing with him and then biting him on the bum. This book cleverly allows readers to laugh whilst acknowledging the shame of Pig’s audacity, ends with a measure of gentle punishment for his disrespectful greed, and a reassurance that Santa will visit the good… and the not-so-good just the same. Suitable for 4-9 year olds.
Reviewed by Liz Anelli
