Odd Owls and Stout Pigs

Picture from amazon.ca

Odd Owls and Stout Pigs by Arnold Lobel is recommended by Pam Allyn in her book Best Books for Boys.

Although not as hilarious as Orangutan Tongs, this short book of poems is fun to read. It is divided into two sections: the first is about “owls old and odd” and the second is about “a group of stout pigs.”

The owl chapter contains a mix of short and longer poems with simple rhythms:

This owl is on a holiday.

He’s jumping into lakes.

He’s always very wet because

He likes the splash it makes.

The pig chapter consists of limericks:

There was a small pig with a tail,

Not curly but straight as a nail.

So she ate simply oodles

Of pretzels and noodles,

Which put a nice twist in her tail.

One warning: parents of very young kids may want to skip the poem about the “cowpig” whose bullets go flying, leaving the bandits lying in piles (picture of dead pigs included, although they look like they’re sleeping). Other than the pile of pigs, the illustrations in the book are quite cute.

It would be nice to see more characters referred to as “she,” especially on the owl side of the book, but that is a minor quibble. Youngsters will likely find great enjoyment in this book.