The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Palatini, Margie

Under a Pig Tree: A History of the Noble Fruit: A Mixed-Up Book

32 pp. | Abrams | April, 2015 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4197-1488-7 $16.95

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. An error in printing ("the 'F' looked like a 'P'") turns a history of figs into a history of pigs. From earliest-recorded mentions to varieties and recipes, the substitution proves inconsequential. The book's gimmick--fully integrated into masterful Photoshop, gouache, and pencil illustrations--is the back-and-forth between an outraged author and a nonplussed editor, a humorous dynamic young industry-outsiders may not fully appreciate.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden