cover image What If, Pig?

What If, Pig?

Linzie Hunter. HarperCollins, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-298609-2

Lighthearted doodle-adjacent digital art in a vibrant color palette lends Hunter’s “porky panicker” protagonist levity in this cheerful picture book debut. Egg-shaped Pig, who wears white spectacles, is “incredibly kind, fabulously fun, and endlessly generous”—and blue-gray Mouse, as well as other animal friends, agree. “But what if Pig had a secret?” As Pig’s identity as “a proper nervous Nelly” is revealed, what-if questions serve as a refrain, presenting a visualized thought spiral about the party and its chances of success. “What if a FEROCIOUS LION eats all the invitations?” one spread reads, as a smiling, round goldenrod-colored lion munches on envelopes. But then Mouse steps in, letting Pig nap, giving Pig a drink, and taking them for a walk before revealing a surprise party. A paragon of supportive friendship, with a gentle encouragement to share mental health struggles with trusted friends. Ages 4–8. (June)