Jig, Fig and Mrs Pig

This very attractively produced little book tells of nasty Mrs Pig, her bullying son, Fig, and their poor, put-upon servant, Jig. Echoes of fairy tales, 'Cinderella', 'Mother Holly', 'The Well at the World's End' will come to mind at once, and with a pleasantly ornate artistic style, reminiscent of illuminated manuscript, the book has a classic appeal. The piggy characters are real personalities and the story is told with the matter-of-factness of the oral tradition. Good little Jig gets the gold and diamonds, nasty Fig gets the snakes and toads and banishment, along with his horrid mother. The moral is suitably clear and the whole is satisfying and charming.