Mrs. Potter's Pig

Mrs. Potter--a neat freak who ""even dusted the chickens until they squawked""--warns her mud-loving daughter, ""Ermajean... you're as dirty as a little pig. Someday, if you're not careful, you'll turn into one."" That ""someday"" comes when Ermajean sneaks out of her stroller to play in a pigpen, and a pig, following her trail of crumbs, climbs into her stroller. When the pig (whom Mrs. Potter now believes to be Ermajean) races back to the pen, Mrs. Potter finds the real Ermajean and ""squoozes and schloops"" her way over to her, learning that mud feels pretty nice. Mrs. Potter and Ermajean live happily and muddily ever after, still keeping a spotless house but romping together regularly in the pigpen. Root's (Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble) cheery tale of compromise is further leavened by Ayto's (Lazy Jack) ebullient, wobbly-lined cartoons, which exaggerate characters' expressions so that they match the outre scenarios of the text, giggle for giggle. Ages 4-7. (June)