View source for Squiglet Pig by Joyce Dunbar and Tim Hopgood

{{infobox2
|title=Squiglet Pig
|author=Joyce Dunbar and Tim Hopgood
|reviewer=Margaret Young
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1405257565 
|pages=32
|publisher=Egmont Books Ltd
|date=July 2013
|aznuk=1405257563
|aznus=1405257555
|cover=1405257563
|website=http://www.joycedunbar.com/
|summary=A fun children's story based on a real animal with a simple message : Be happy!
}}
''Squiglet Pig'' is based on a real deep sea creature, the piglet squid. This is one of those creatures you have to see to believe. It honestly does look like it always smiling, and very much like the main character in this book.
 
Piglet Squid lives in the depths of the ocean, where the sun's rays never penetrate, and day is no different from the night. The other fish have temperaments as dark and brooding as the atmosphere, but Piglet Squid is always smiling. He wants to share his joy, but he can't seem to cheer the other fish up. Finally, he embarks on a journey to find something to make the other fish happy as well. He doesn't get very far before he is eaten though. This sounds like a rather unpleasant end to a sad story, but it isn't. It is just the beginning. This unfortunate event will bring Piglet Squid to the surface.  He will escape from the belly of the whale so to speak, thanks to his cheerful nature and ability to make the best of things. Soon Piglet Squid will have a wonderful story of joy and beauty to brighten the lives of his friends in the dark depths of the ocean.

This is a cute story, with a lovely premise. It shows how the kindness and joy of one creature can bring light to the darkest of places. The illustrations are bright and colourful with plenty of contrast. The use of colour gives the impression of bio luminescence very well. My son especially liked the pictures in the dark with the contrast of bright eyes on the shrimp, brightly coloured jelly fish, and very grumpy fish. We didn't really believe that any creature could really look Piglet Squid, but we were wrong. We looked up the real piglet squid and it really does look very much like the illustration. Most of the other fish in this story are based on real creatures as well, so this book does have a certain amount of educational value as well. We especially liked the hairy frogfish, the blobfish and the spookfish.  The soothing illustrations and gentle nature of this book make it an ideal bedtime read. 

If this book appeals then you might also enjoy:

[[Small Billy and the Midnight Star by Nette Hilton and Bruce Whatley]]

[[Commotion In The Ocean by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz]]

[[Oddly by Joyce Dunbar and Patrick Benson]]

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[[Category:Joyce Dunbar]]
[[Category:Tim Hopgood]]