March 1, 2022
Grades 1-4 Three animal friends are shooting hoops in their driveway when Hoggy (a pig, naturally) asks to join and, before long, is being a bad sport. Luckily, Hoggy's little sister has some good advice, and Hoggy, after offering a genuine apology, gets to show off his fancy footwork in a much friendlier way. Long brings an invitingly cartoonish style to the artwork in this I Like to Read Comics book, with bright colors and dynamic motion in the large-format panels. Simple sentences--each is fewer than 10 words--appear in a big, legible font in speech balloons with lots of white space, which will help emerging readers. Long's play on the term ball hog makes for a comical premise, and the resolution of the friendship conflict will resonate with plenty of kids.
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April 1, 2022
A basketball-playing pig learns the value of teamwork. Hoggy is eager to show off his b-ball skills to all the other animals on the court. He demonstrates how well he can dribble and convinces the others to let him play. Hoggy is joyful, eager to participate, and proud of how good he is at the game...but maybe a bit too proud. True to his name, he hogs the ball and is a bad sport. Will he learn that friendship and playing with others are about sharing and cooperation? This early reader's simple format allows beginner readers to remain focused on the text while enjoying splash pages, sound effects, and the small details that make the visual experience of a comic so much fun. Children who understand basketball will appreciate the technical parlance, though other, less informed readers will not miss out thanks to visual and context clues. Hoggy's story is also a well-crafted lesson in how to deliver a meaningful apology. The book's title is a spin on the old Scottish folk song "Froggy Went a-Courtin," although this story bears no resemblance to the plot of the ditty. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sporty introduction to the rules of friendship. (Graphic early reader. 8-10)
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April 1, 2022
K-Gr 2-When Hoggy sees his friends playing basketball, he wants to join in, but they are hesitant to include him. Hoggy is a ball hog, a showboat, and a sore loser, but he promises to try to be better. Unfortunately, he is not very successful and soon his friends send him home. After talking with another friend, Hoggy realizes that he should apologize and share so everyone can have a good time. This cute friendship story will resonate with children who have likely experienced similar scenarios many times over. The text is simple and accessible to young readers, and the panel setup of the graphic novel pages are intuitive for those just being introduced to this format. The illustrations are bright, cartoonish, and full of action which works well to support the basketball theme. VERDICT This colorful friendship story is an approachable introduction to graphic novels for early readers. A recommended purchase for most collections.-Ellen Conlin
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