Birds of a feather flock together? Not in Sara Anderson's exuberant, rhyming picture book Some of My Best Friends Are Polka-Dot Pigs. In fact, some of her best friends are whirligigs and moppety maisies or happen to eat purple daisies in this jazzy celebration of diversity and friendship.

Anderson's bold, colorful, two-dimensional illustrations--reminiscent of Varnette P. Honeywood's work in the "Little Bill" books--are lively and expressive. Simple images at the beginning of the book (the polka-dot pigs and the whirligig, for example) gather, intermingle, and dance together in double-page spreads that echo the cumulative rhyme. As the finale nears we are treated to a visual and verbal extravaganza: "Sticky feet can't be neat / marching ants climb your pants / dress in red stay in bed / porcupine sky / many hats wacky bats / Can't fly don't cry / polka polka polka-dot / whirly purple maisie." This jaunty, rhythmic read-aloud makes us want to twirl around and shout! (And have pineapple feet.) (Preschool to age 6) --Karin Snelson

Product Description
A read-aloud book Some of My Best Friends Are Polka-Dot Pigs is narrated by a young artist. The book tells a delightful tale filled with silly shenanigans, charming nonsense rhymes, and brilliantly colored cut-paper pictures, all inspired by her diverse and lovable circle of best friends. It's a lively and touching tribute to the beauty of color, the joy of individuality, and the gift of friendship.

Sara Andersons bright, bold artwork is the perfect compliment to her rhyming verse as she tickles the fancy of young children who already know that friendship has many shapes and sizes.

So much so, that I recommended it to my Planetpals.com website readers and listed it in Earthzine monthly Ezine!

Can't wait for Sara's next book.


fun fun fun   October 22, 2000
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

catchy ..... alive and fun...fun...fun..a must have ...great imagination....


Polka, polka, polka dot, whirly purple maisy!   September 16, 2000
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

We checked this out of the library recently and since our 18 mo old son loves this book so much will be purchasing it. He says "hi" to the girl at the beginning, giggles at the pineapple feet and bopps along to the beat of the rhyme. It is as fun to read (perhaps even more fun to read) as it is to hear.


Polka Polka Polka-Dot Whirly Purple Maisie   August 16, 2000
A colorful and lovingly-worded little book dedicated to a real polka-dot pig named Toute-Toute will make you happy, tout de suite. It begs to be read aloud even if you are quite alone, but is best when shared. Sara Anderson shares her inventively-crafted world of rich color and verse, cut paper art, and imaginative characters: women in red, wacky bats, hillbillies and ants in a variety of hats, and my favorite, the moppety maisies and purple daises that remind me of my niece in California and NY Asters in the late fall. The poetic language is hypnotic to a delightful degree and the message of friendship, acceptance, and love never wanes or becomes old. You always feel lucky at the end to have spent time with an author who's given so much of herself. The artist in the book (in wellies and beret) makes and remakes the world as both author and character, waving her paint brush as if a magic wand or conductor's baton. So the book resonates on several levels, celebrating acts of artistic creation, choices about how to experience the world, and lastly, honoring friendship as a fine art.


We all love this book - Mom, Dad, and kids   October 29, 1999
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Our infant boys love the bright colors and the playful, sing-song text. More importantly, it's a book that my husband and I love to read to them, over and over. This is by far our favorite children's book.