Piggybook

This week I chose to revisit a book which is a favourite in my family. Piggybook by Anthony Browne is a story about the Piggott family (who share the same surname as me!). As a small child I loved this book; mostly for its illustrations and the fact that I could recognise my name on the pages. In later years I also began to recognise a moral lesson within the text.

Browne begins the story by introducing Mr Piggott and his two sons, leaving a distinct gap in the text before mentioning Mrs Piggott who is ‘inside the house’ (this placement of text gives the distinct impression that she is not as important as the other three characters). As the story progresses, readers discover that Mrs Piggott is very much taken for granted by her husband and sons- who rely on her to do all the housework. When Mrs Piggott disappears one day – she leaves a note for her family which simply reads “you are pigs.”  Mr Piggott and his sons are left to fend for themselves and find life increasingly difficult- until one day- just as circumstances become worse than ever, Mrs Piggott returns. The story concludes with the male members of the Piggott family helping out around the house, while Mrs Piggott works on the car (an interesting reversal of traditional gender roles).

Browne’s story might at first seem like simple fun and nonsense- but a closer look reveals some quite profound underlying themes. Piggybook boldly challenges gender stereotypes, and is (in a light-hearted and child friendly way) a poignant reminder that we tend not to appreciate what we have until it is gone.

Complementing the story are Browne’s bright illustrations which tell a story all of their own. The drawings in Piggybook are full of detail and provided me with much entertainment as a young child. Observant readers will soon realise as the story progresses, tiny illustrations of pigs start to become evident on each page. These hidden pigs become increasingly obvious; appearing in the wallpaper, on the doorknob, even on the buttons of Mr Piggott’s suit. Eventually Mr Piggott and the boys are depicted as pigs themselves, and are reduced to ‘snuffling’ around on the floor (all of which is reversed as soon as they start to help around the house).

I think the added complexity within the illustrations makes the book especially engaging for children- making it a fantastic book to use in the classroom. Not only does the story present some important themes (eg. challenges gender myths/ideologies), I believe it is suitable for classroom use simply because it is fun. I strongly believe in the value of reading books to children just for fun – as this is what will help them to develop a love of literature and reading. Browne’s Piggybook encourages children to relate to the text (as it tells a story about everyday life) while also providing an element of intrigue through the illustrations. It is this engaging format that made the book a favourite of mine- which was read and re-read many times.