Saturday, November 08, 2008

Oscar The Pig

So I joined this new Mom network online called Twittermoms. It is a very welcoming site and a great networking place. The mastermind behind Twittermoms sent a call out for bloggers to review her recently published children's book called "Oscar the Pig: Mommy Goes to Work". Since I am all about books and reading and literacy, and am always looking for something new to read to The Phi I jumped at the chance. I knew that The Phi and I would both have some fun with this project.

The first thing that we both loved about the book was the illustrations. They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but look at that adorable pig. I know that if I was browsing my local library or book store this cover and adorable pig would make me pick it up. So simple, but bright, colorful and whimsical.

The Phi liked the pictures of Oscar and his Mommy.


Too adorable right! Well the story is just as adorable. Oscar is a little pig and his Mommy is going back to work. Like any child would, Oscar begins to deal with the all too familiar separation anxiety. It it sometimes hard for a child to understand concepts like love and time. And what parent doesn't feel absolutely horrible leaving a crying child behind. Oscar is worried that his Mommy doesn't love him anymore, or that she will never come back. All very understandable feelings for a young kid who has spent everyday with his Mommy.

To make the transition easier for Oscar his Mommy had introduced him to a nanny named Ms. Tu-Tu a week earlier. Which is a great tip for parents worried about leaving their child in childcare for the first time. When The Phi was starting pre-school we took her to the school a few weeks before and we showed her the classroom and let her explore for a few minutes. This way when we left her there for the first time it wasn't too overwhelming and she felt comfortable. Oscar's Mommy did the same thing by introducing Ms. Tu-Tu a week before the big day.

Oscar's fears quickly vanished when Ms. Tu-Tu takes Oscar on a magical adventure to China. While there Oscar has so much fun that he forgets to miss his Mommy. When it's time to go home Oscar had not missed his Mommy at all. He is very excited to see his Mommy, but he is also looking forward to his next adventure with Ms. Tu-Tu.

What I enjoyed most while reading this book to The Phi was watching her go through the emotions with Oscar. The worry when his Mom was telling him she was leaving, the sadness when she left, and the excitement about the journey to China. It is written and illustrated in a way that even a 3 year old can comprehend the story and the message. After the story I talked to her about how she feels when I drop her off at school. She told me that she misses me but knows that I will pick her up everyday.

A few days after we read the book I asked The Phi about the story she said, "The momma goes to work and then she comes back". I guess she got the message.


**Oscar the Pig is the first book in a series being developed by Megan Calhoun. It’s published by Silly String Media, which is a new media publishing company. Other successful ventures by Megan Calhoun include Twittermoms.com, a social networking and community site for moms. The gorgeous illustrations in the book were developed for Megan by an artist who lives in Thailand. The book is available at Amazon.com ($16-$18) or at OscarThePig.com.

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