Pigsticks and Harold and the Incredible Journey

Pigsticks is thirsty for adventure and anxious to travel to the Ends of the Earth. After failing to find a suitable assistant for his expedition, he finally persuades a reluctant fellow villager, Harold the hamster, to join him.  Their journey takes them across desert and mountain and sets them in the path of a terrifying herd of goats who want them for lunch. Escape and survival soon become their first concern. But throughout their adventure, Pigsticks remains bent on finding the Ends of the Earth.

This is an entertaining story with much of its humour deriving from the way the characters complement each other. Pigsticks is ever optimistic, resourceful and curious while Harold is fearful, frail and anxious. Together, they make the perfect match. The illustrations are energetic and colourful, adding unpredictability to the vagaries of the plot. Incorporating labels, speech bubbles and different perspectives, they vary from page to page – from double-page landscapes that bleed off the page to oval-shaped close-ups, frame sequences and vignettes – to support or expand the text. An enjoyable and lively read, this is the first in a new series.