Genre
Picture books for children
Subject
Avoidance (Psychology)
Baths
Mother and child
Obstinacy
Pigs

Meh. Mostly I was disappointed because I was expecting a book about pirates for my pirate-obsessed kid, and instead it was a book about a kid who pretends to be lots of different things in order to avoid taking a bath. That said, it wasn't bad if that's what you're looking for. I didn't like how the mom kept squelching his play with downer facts & ideas, but Mom got creative in the end and encouraged the kid to pretend to be looking for undersea treasure (or something). ... Of course, she could have done that in the beginning, with the pirate play. ( )

a little pig is trying to get out of bath time by being a bunch of different people
1 book

Segal is the author of the popular Carrot Soup and this is a board book edition of a title that came out in 2011 and is now out of print.

A plump, pink pig is determined not to take a bath. After all, pirates never take baths and she is a pirate! But, her mother reminds her, pirates don't get seasick and she does! So, she decides to be a cowboy, a knight, an astronaut....and one by one, her mother finds a less-than-positive aspect of her choice. "It's hard to poop and pee in zero gravity" and while it's true there's no water in the desert for bathing, there's none for drinking either! Finally, she decides to be a treasure hunter and her mother knows just where she can find treasure; in the bathtub!

Segal's soft and silly watercolors illustrate this quirky story and the small pig's determination to avoid a bath at all costs and her mother's equally determined stance to talk her into it. It's sweet, funny, and very relatable for kids (and parents) who dread bath time.

Verdict: Although I like this story, I don't think it makes a really good board book. Each page has multiple small illustrations and sections of text and the soft watercolors could be difficult for very young children to decipher. I hope the publishers will bring this back as a picture book, because it's a delightful book, but it makes a much better picture book than board book.

ISBN: 9780399175589; Board book edition published 2016 by Philomel/Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

A little piglet comes up with all different things to be so he wont have to take a bath. Mom comes up with reasons why he wont be happy at each.
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