by Moe Zilla

Created on: August 15, 2010

"Apple Tree Farm was a very busy place..."

I love the way Caroline Jayne Church illustrated "Ping Pong Pig." Instead of a white background behind her sketches, she fills the page with a single bold color. There's bright yellow behind the first illustration showing the farm at sunrise, and a bright green background when she's showing the animals strolling the farm. But most importantly, there's a dark blue background when she first introduces the Ping Pong Pig - because this pig has a secret desire to fly.

While all the other animals on the farm rush around doing their daily chores, the pink little pig is leaping off tree stumps and barrels to try to get the right altitude. "Pigs can't fly, Ping Pong," he's told by a cow, a sheep and a chicken - who all stare back at him with their perplexed black eyes. All the illustrations in the book are very simple, which makes it even funnier to see the tiny shape of a little pig, leaping up towards the clouds in the sky. The pig has the same confused look on his face when he falls instead of flying - past the farm's apple tree, and into a mud puddle next to the barn.

The story and the drawings are very simple, but this book feels special because of its bright colors - and its equally bright tone. All the animals hold a meeting in the barn to discuss the pig's obsessions, but instead of ganging up on him, they decide to help him. When the barn door opens, two pigs and a dug are tugging out a home-made trampoline for the pig, so he can finally experience flying himself. "Now take it to a quiet corner of the field and let us get on with our work."

The night sky is a welcoming purple as the little pig jumps and bounces his way towards the clouds. "Wheeeeee.... I can fly!" he squeals with delight. The animals, returning to work, still sigh that pigs can't fly. But Ping Pong Pig "was having the best time EVER!" - until he starts feeling guilty that he hasn't done enough to help the friends who'd been so kind to him. I love how this book leaves the pig with his illusion - that he is flying after all.

It's just that by the end of the book, he's using his new flying powers to help the other animals with their farm chores!

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