This portrays a wonderful message about including others even if they are different. Pig and Pug may not be the same animal but they can still be friends. I would love to incorporate this book in my classroom for my students to read about the message of having friends no matter their differences. ( )

~ from the Library

PIG AND PUG is at the First Grade reading level. It has 253 words and has a Lexile number of 200L. Accelerated Reader = 1.3. Which means at the beginning first grade level.

*Common Core and *STEAM recommended

~
I LOVE THIS BOOK. This book made me laugh and to me it is just as good as the work of my other favorite author, Mo Willems. (Really, that good.)

The story is just great: funny and intelligent. And I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot because this is a first grade book that it is actually possible to spoil. Okay, I'll crack and tell you a small hint, that when Pug appears the animals don't know what he is. But he has a curly tail.

Besides the story and the cute artwork, the other thing that this book has going for it is science and numbers. From the story you learn that there are four cows, ten chickens, six sheep and one pig on the farm. And with little ones this means that you can practice counting.

The book also addresses how cows give milk, chickens give eggs, and sheep eat grass. This latter is the only flaw. I don't know why the author doesn't say that sheep give wool. But it's mistake in my opinion. PIG AND PUG's basic animal knowledge includes animals noises, and physical characteristics.

Highly Recommend. ( )

Pig lives on a farm where he is the only animal without a friend until a new creature arrives, Pug, who is not a pig but has a curly tail, snorts, plays in the mud, and just might be a good friend for Pig. ( )

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