Product Description

Piggins the butler solves the mysterious disappearance of Mrs. Reynard’s diamond lavaliere with the help of a delightful set of characters. “One of a kind--and sure to provide a great deal of fun for many readers and listeners.”--School Library Journal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #659528 in Books
• Published on: 1992-02-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780152616861
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Whimsy abounds in this tale of a porcine butler who solves crimes in his off hours. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3 A sophisticated English mystery parody for the primary set. The Reynards throw a dinner party to show off Mrs. Reynard's new diamond lavaliere and to explain why they must sell it. As Mr. Reynard is relating the story of the necklace's curse, the lights go off; when they are restored, the necklace is gone. All the dinner guests are stumped, but Piggins, the very proper butler, explains to all how it was done and who did the evil deed. Yolen utlizes word play in the namesProfessor T. Ortoise is an elderly turtle. Her plot is clever, but with enough obvious clues for first or second graders to solve the mystery on their own. Some of Yolen's understated humor may not be appreciated by children, but an adult reader will enjoy sharing this book with children. The color pencil and watercolor illustrations complement the text in every way. Each textual detail is meticulously expressed in the pictures. The animal characters have human expression while still remaining true to their animal naturesthe rats, of course, are the thieves. The Edwardian details in decor and costuming are fun to examine and yet do not interfere with the action or visual flow of the illustrations. One of a kindand sure to provide a great deal of fun for many readers and listeners. Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Jane Dyer always wanted to be a teacher as far back as she can remember. Her mother was a kindergarten teacher and so she grew up in a house filled with art projects, music, and books. Jane laughs when she recalls the hours she spent playing school with her cat and dog. She would dress them in doll clothes and conduct classes in reading and writing.While she had little success with her earliest students, Jane went on to become an innovative and successful teacher. Art, music, and literature were incorporated into many of the activities of her kindergarten and second grade classes.Moving to Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband while he attended graduate school, Jane found her first work in the world of publishing with the Boston Educational Research Company. She wrote and illustrated lesson activities for teachers to accompany a new reading program being developed for Addison-Wesley. But it was Jane’s special gift for illustration that soon led to trade book work with numerous publishers.Today, Jane is widely recognized for her skill in telling the same tale as the author, while adding her own embellishments to every story. Her work ranges from the intricate detail and sophisticated humor of the Piggins series, to the lush, impressionistic style of My Father. Jane’s work is a combination of imagination and research. She finds inspiration for her characters from family and friends, as well as from two cats and a dog named Woolly who share her home. Jane’s original illustrations are exhibited and sold at galleries throughout the country. Her numerous awards and honors include two Parent’s Choice Honor Books for Illustration and several Notable Children’s Trade Book citations. Jane and her daughters love rainy days to draw, to read, and to daydream. This rainy day enchantment is apparent in Jane’s luminous illustrations for Talking Like the Rain, a poetry collection by X.J. and Dorothy Kennedy, which Publisher’s Weekly called, “Unusually striking…Dyer’s vibrantly colored detailed illustrations (are) some of this gifted artist’s finest work.” Her whimsical and charming illustrations also grace the pages of Animal Crackers: A Delectable Collection of Pictures, Poems, and Lullabies for the Very Young. With selections ranging from Mother Goose classics to contemporary poems, this enchanting anthology celebrates the special times of a child’s first years.Jane lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, Tom, and their daughters, Brooke and Cecily.

JANE YOLEN has written more than two hundred books, and has won the World Fantasy Award, the Nebula Award, the Kerlan Award, as well as several of the highest awards in children's literature. She lives in western Massachusetts and Scotland.

Customer Reviews

A good book to read aloud
This is a children's picture book written in the classic English Manor House Mystery style-- complete with a dinner party, distinguished guests, missing jewels and, of course, the butler, Piggins. I won't give away who "did it," but kids will have fun solving the mystery as you read the book to them. Part of the fun is looking at all the details in the drawings of the house. I highly recommend this book.

A Fun Mystery for Early Readers
My 4 year old daughter really enjoys the three mysteries written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jane Dyer in the Piggins series, but "Piggins" is her most favorite. I often catch her flipping through the pages by herself in a quiet corner telling the story to herself. Dyer's illustrations are colorful and detailed. There are many things for a small child to look at. Yolen's story is as usual, a great read and keeps my daughter's attention the whole story (well, expect for when she starts asking questions!) Thank goodness the book came out in paperback, as the book is constantly in circulation at our local library. We now have all three Piggins Stories in our bookcase!

Excellent book
My four children (girls and boys), grown now, ALL loved this book. That speaks for itself.

I enjoyed it too, even over many many readings. As previous reviewers have said, the humour and fantastic detailed illustrations, make Piggins a pleasure for grown ups too.