Higglety, pigglety, pop!

The dog has eaten the mop;

The pig’s in a hurry,

The cat’s in a flurry,

Higglety, pigglety, pop!

comes through vividly in this fanciful tale threaded carefully on the pages of a small, Chapter book meant to be read aloud to young children, Pre, K and 1, and read by themselves by strong Primary Readers.

Jennie on the pages of HIGGELTY PIGGELTY POP! OR THERE MUST BE MORE TO LIFE this lesser known work by this well recognized children’s writer/ illustrator, has everything, two windows, two pillows, two bowls, a red wool sweater, eyedrops, eardrops, two different bottles of pills, a thermometer, and the love of her master.

Nonetheless, Jennie was discontented.

She was discontented because she wanted something she did NOT have, there must be more to life than having everything! 

And, with her bag packed Jennie went out into the world to see what theoretical venture might await.

Soon she meets a pig wearing a sandwich board, finds out the World Mother Goose Theatre needs a Leading Lady, and is chagrined to learn that she must have experience before she can be considered for the part.

Jennie hopes to have the requisite experience by the night of the full moon, and, recognizes it is going to be a daunting task to achieve as she continues her pursuit.

And, what a quest it becomes, Jennie is offered a ride in the horse-drawn milk delivery truck driven by a cat wearing shirt, tie and jaunty billed hat, who sets out to ferry Jennie to the big house at edge of town. A new nurse for Baby is needed there. The milkman tells Jennie it will be an experience if she can persuade Baby to eat. 

Experience is precisely what Jennie needs!

Jennie busies herself sampling the yogurt, eggs, cheeses and milk she finds in the truck.

During her pursual to gain experience Jennie becomes a nursemaid, suffers jumping stomach, eats many pancakes and syrup, learns Baby’s parents are at Castle Yonder, is given one chance to induce Baby to Eat, downs all of Baby’s breakfast herself, locks Baby in her satchel where Baby rages, breaks or throws every one of Jennie’s possessions out of the satchel, and, by the time Baby’s rage subsides; Jennie knows she is doomed to be eaten by the Lion.

A bemused Jennie of a sudden, is not quite sure what caused a change, however, the Lion does not eat her. Rather, Lion abruptly grabs Baby, and running away, disappears toward Castle Yonder. 

Jennie is left with her nearly empty satchel holding a few broken items; and now she has nothing, There must be more to life than having nothing.

Lost in the woods, a thoughtfully preoccupied Jennie awakens and is pleased, but still baffled to see Pig, Milkman, and Rhoda, the parlor-maid. Now that she has gained experience; they have come to welcome her as the new Leading Lady. The trio tells her; they too are actors in the World Mother Goose Theatre.

Jennie learns what her experience entails, discovers Baby is more than first seemed, becomes the leading lady in a new production Higgelty Pigglety Pop!

And, once again, Jennie has everything/ She is deemed the finest leading lady ever, she performs each day, twice on Saturday, always has delicious salami to eat, and Jennie even sent a letter to her master inviting him to look her up.

Story and Pictures are well prepared by Maurice Sendak. Rendered in black and white most are full page graphics and some spread across both leaves.

Sendak’s illustrations for this charming children’s tale exemplify; via, this artist’s well-known black and white style of lines building upon lines to supply figures and shade. Awash with puckish characters overflowing of whimsy and dynamic detail, graphics add much to the text.

I purchased my copy of this rattling good children’s book; when our school librarian placed it on the sale table in the hall, just outside the library door. When asked she told me, no one checks it out, the kids don’t like it.

Higglety Piggletry Pop! OR There Must Be More To Life very quickly became an Osage County First Grade favorite for teacher reading aloud during the period just after lunch as children settled on the rug prior to beginning afternoon work. 

I read aloud to the class one Chapter a day, Chapters are very short, illustrations make up a good bit of each chapter.

Child of the Day was the fortunate one designated to take Higglety Piggletry Pop! as one of his/her extra books to be read as time permitted during children’s 20 minute DEAR reading period. Many times during the years I spent teaching Osage County First Grade Higglety Piggletry Pop! Was frequently called for, ‘read it again, Mrs M, read it again!’ as I finished the last page.

I enjoyed reading book as much as my Firsties enjoyed listening to the reading, the book rarely was left on the shelf by our Child of the Day; most often Higglety Pigglety Pop! went home to spend the evening with family and friends.

Maurice Sendak’s Higglety Piggletry Pop! OR There Must Be More To Life is a Charming, Child Pleasing Read … Recommended … 5 stars for gifting Emergent and Primary Readers, for Primary Classroom library shelf,  public and school library, as a First Day of the new school term class gift for Firstie to hand to teacher at the beginning of the new school term, and as an anytime tuck in for a special child.

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REVIEWED BY : Molly Reviews BOOKS  molly martin 

35+ years classroom teacher

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AMAZON About the Author Maurice Sendak’s children’s books have sold over 30 million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages.

He received the 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are and is the creator of such classics as In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There , Higglety Pigglety Pop!, and Nutshell Library.

In 1970 he received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration, in 1983 he received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from the American Library Association, and in 1996 he received a National Medal of Arts in recognition of his contribution to the arts in America.

In 2003, Sendak received the first Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an annual international prize for children’s literature established by the Swedish government.

AMAZON PRODUCT DETAILS

Title: Higglety Pigglety Pop!

Genre: children

Author: Maurice Sendak

4 - 8 years Kindergarten – 3

Grade Level: Read to Pre K and 1

Read with some help 1 - 2

Read alone and to others 3

Hardcover: 80 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins (May 22, 2001)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 006028479X

ISBN-13: 978-0060284794

Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.5 x 6.8 inches: