Small Readers: Pig and Pug by Laura Marchesani and Zenaides A. Medina Jr., illustrated by Jarvis

This easy reader has been the surprise hit of the year at my library. Easy readers, except for popular series like Fly Guy or Biscuit, aren't usually asked for by title. But I've had several enthusiastic kids asking for Pig and Pug. I don't know where they saw it, as I haven't booktalked it, but I'm glad they liked it as it's adorable.

Pig is lonely. On his farm, everyone has a job and a friend who is just like them. The cows give milk, the sheep eat grass, the chickens lay eggs. But poor pig is all alone. One day, a strange animal shows up. Is it another pig? Has pig finally found a friend? No, it's a pug. Pig can't be friends with a pug...or can he?

Soft pastel illustrations with scribbly details fill out the storyline without detracting attention from the text. Simple details, like Pug's panting tongue and Pig's small but expressive mouth add humor and dimension to the silly and sweet story.

This is a level 2 from Penguin, which is still pretty easy. The text is bold and simple with a few more advanced vocabulary words. There are still a lot of repeated words and phrases to keep early readers going.

Verdict: This has a subtle but neatly presented message about friendship and differences and is just a light, fun, and deftly presented story. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780606366106; Published 2015 by Penguin; Purchased for the library