I love this book, and it’s up there with Where the Wild Things Are in my list of favourites. I still have a copy, in fact, despite the fact that my children are adults and have been out of the house for a long time. Like Wild Things, I will occasionally take it off the shelf and give it a read.

I cannot tell you how many a week I reference this book in terms of, “Well, if we do that, we may end up with an If You Give A Pig A Pancake situation.” The reason the reference works so well is because this children’s book is more than adorable illustrations and a cutesy story (both of which it is, and it pulls both those things off wonderfully). The book teaches a very specific thing that often gets overlooked in the children’s section: sequencing. It provides the first building blocks for children to grasp “If this, then that” concepts, and the value of thinking things through to see what possible (and sometimes logical) outcomes exist. It’s also great for memory work, as asking “what happens next?” is an excellent learning experience once the child is familiar with the book.

There’s also the opportunity to discuss boundaries and whether or not the pig’s behaviour is appropriate. That may sound like a stretch, but given the amount of work the young boy has in managing the pig, it’s fair to say the conversation around behaviour and boundaries is not out the realm of possibilities.

Or, you could do none of those things and simply enjoy a rollicking story about a pig who wants a pancake—and the ensuing shenanigans.

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Created Apr 05, 2024 at 3:37pm • Submit your own review...