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A review by corncobwebs
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
3.0
This book was pretty formulaic. It's comprised of ten or so chapters, with each one following the same format. It starts with a child who has an "illness" - not wanting to pick up toys, not wanting to take a bath, fighting, etc. A distressed mother then calls her friends (who all have silly names, like Mrs. Ragbag), and when they cannot offer helpful advice, the mother calls Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle offers a cure, which invariably involves encouraging the bag behavior, with the idea that the child will get sick of doing whatever it is that he or she shouldn't be doing in the first place.
You would think that this sort of thing would get old quickly, but MacDonald has a Cleary-esque eye for describing children. These astute observations about children and their families don't get old, and they're often quite funny. The illustrations add flavor, as well. I read these books as a child, and I can see why they're still popular today. Recommended reading for fans of Beverly Cleary.
You would think that this sort of thing would get old quickly, but MacDonald has a Cleary-esque eye for describing children. These astute observations about children and their families don't get old, and they're often quite funny. The illustrations add flavor, as well. I read these books as a child, and I can see why they're still popular today. Recommended reading for fans of Beverly Cleary.