Scan barcode
melloyellow0920's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bookbelle5_17's review against another edition
I was watching Kate Howe's video on her favorite picture books and it made me think of this book. I did not know it was a series and now I am aware of the spin-off series about her niece. This was one of my favorite books of my childhood about a nanny who uses creative methods to teach kids lessons. Like if a kid does not want to clean his room she lets him stay in his messy room, but eventually it gets out of control and he cannot stand it. It is fun and a unique story that is reminiscent of Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee.
melinda_auniquelyportablemagic's review
3.0
I found this funny and laughed out loud at the absurdity, but can’t imagine my children understanding the humour on the same level. Also I just wouldn’t read it to them because I would have to edit out all the spanking. And the dads are pretty useless.
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
I hadn't read any of this series since I was little - I remembered they were funny, and I remembered Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's upside down house, but the actual storyline escaped me. It turns out that it's more episodic - each chapter showcases Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's stricks for solving different behavior issues (not cleaning your room, not taking a bath, eating slowly, etc.) Her solutions are funny, over-the-top, and of course very effective. The audio version is lots of fun and would make a great family listen (or read-aloud with the print book). The episodic chapters mean it would work well for a variety of ages - older listeners will pick up on the funny names and parenting angst, younger ones will enjoy the simple silliness of a girl getting so dirty that radishes will grow on her skin.
funsizelibrarian's review
3.0
I found this one on library audio download and couldn't resist revisiting one of my favorite childhood series. The book was written in 1947, and the text is a bit dated, which I didn't notice when I read them in the late 70's/early 80's. The stories and characters are just as fun now as they were when I was eight - maybe more so, since I now understand the adults' positions a bit more. I highly recommend this one for pre-middle grade/post early-reader kids.
schmidt05's review
5.0
I have read this book to both my boys and will read it to my daughter when she is old enough. I love all of the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books and so have my kids. Classic...
the_naptime_reader's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this series of books as a kid. So I picked it up off the shelf to share with my 3rd graders. I couldn't remember a lot about it, except that I found it very funny. My third graders really enjoyed this story, especially the Fighter-Quarrelers cure. They thought it was funny and many could relate to the kids in the story. The language, just like Beverly Cleary's books is a little out of date (davenport, the name Dick, gaily, etc.) sometimes took a little explaining. Still a quality classic.
lectoribenevolo's review
4.0
This book is the latest in a series of children's classics I am reading with my son that I never read when I was a child. (It's funny how long that list is; I recall being an avid reader as a child, but I missed so, so much.)
This book introduces us to the titular character, a genial oddball, beloved by children, who comes up with clever ways to "cure" various children of vices such as eating too slowly, not wanting to bathe, and being needlessly quarrelsome with siblings. She is a gentle, kind, wise presence, but what's entertaining is that there is an undercurrent of wicked humor throughout. She doesn't quite go full Roald Dahl, but she could have if she wanted.
My son--who, bless him, is almost nine-- had one of his first moments of critical distance in reading this book. He noted that, without exception, whenever a child's father appears, his only relationship to his child is to (a) threaten to spank or beat the child, or (b) to call his child some unflattering name. He is absolutely correct. The fathers in this book are mercurial, impatient, and inordinately fond of meting out physical discipline. It is rather jarring to contemporary sensibilities to read of a father telling his wife to wait until he comes home so he can give their son a good flaying. The mothers, and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, opt for cleverness, and their way ends up working.
(My wife noted that MacDonald was clued in to one of the constants in the life of women: the use of wit and creativity to deal with the violence and short tempers of men. She isn't wrong.)
MacDonald's writing voice is peculiar and interesting. Aside from her wicked sense of humor, she has an unrivaled talent for writing these long, breathless run-on sentences that shouldn't work, but somehow do. She doesn't resort to them constantly, not constantly enough for them to feel affected, but when she does, the effect is pleasantly disconcerting. A high school grammarian would redline a lot of her sentences, but she manages to turn those sentences into desultory music. That's talent.
This book introduces us to the titular character, a genial oddball, beloved by children, who comes up with clever ways to "cure" various children of vices such as eating too slowly, not wanting to bathe, and being needlessly quarrelsome with siblings. She is a gentle, kind, wise presence, but what's entertaining is that there is an undercurrent of wicked humor throughout. She doesn't quite go full Roald Dahl, but she could have if she wanted.
My son--who, bless him, is almost nine-- had one of his first moments of critical distance in reading this book. He noted that, without exception, whenever a child's father appears, his only relationship to his child is to (a) threaten to spank or beat the child, or (b) to call his child some unflattering name. He is absolutely correct. The fathers in this book are mercurial, impatient, and inordinately fond of meting out physical discipline. It is rather jarring to contemporary sensibilities to read of a father telling his wife to wait until he comes home so he can give their son a good flaying. The mothers, and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, opt for cleverness, and their way ends up working.
(My wife noted that MacDonald was clued in to one of the constants in the life of women: the use of wit and creativity to deal with the violence and short tempers of men. She isn't wrong.)
MacDonald's writing voice is peculiar and interesting. Aside from her wicked sense of humor, she has an unrivaled talent for writing these long, breathless run-on sentences that shouldn't work, but somehow do. She doesn't resort to them constantly, not constantly enough for them to feel affected, but when she does, the effect is pleasantly disconcerting. A high school grammarian would redline a lot of her sentences, but she manages to turn those sentences into desultory music. That's talent.