ALA Booklist (Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2005)

Few can match the flair of little piglet Sylvia. For every activity, she has a perfect costume. When Mom gardens, Sylvia wears a bee suit; at the grocery store, she shows off a headdress of cascading fruit. When a local shop announces a costume party, a thrilled Sylvia resolves to find the perfect disguise. It will be my best costume ever, she promises her piggie friends. You'll never recognize me. As the day approaches, though, Sylvia is without an idea, and she takes to her room in tears. Then she hits on the one costume no one will expect: she goes to the party as herself--and wins the prize. Ernst's lively text bounces with dialogue and rhythm, while the Easter egg-colored illustrations extend the humor in detailed scenes of expressive Sylvia and her wild ensembles. This is a good choice for costume-shy children anxious about Halloween as well as young dress-up fans, and like Amy Schwartz's Begin at the Beginning (2005), it sends a reassuring message about exploring creativity and overcoming creative blocks.

Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

Pig Sylvia Jean has a costume for every occasion: she's Albert Einstein at the science fair, a nurse when her dad sneezes, etc. But when a town-wide costume contest is announced, the pressure to choose a winning look incapacitates her. Ernst reveals Sylvia Jean's choice (which some readers may guess) with delectable fanfare, and the pastel-colored, wobble-edged illustrations are applause-worthy.

Kirkus Reviews

Sylvia Jean is a young swine with a sartorial style all her own. She wears elaborate costumes every day, from the simple (a clown or a bee) to the sophisticated (Albert Einstein or the Statue of Liberty). In fact, Sylvia Jean is never seen without her amazing dress-up clothes. But when a costume contest is announced at a local shop, Sylvia Jean is at a loss for an idea for a spectacular outfit due to her previous extensive experience with costumes of every sort. She agonizes over how to create something unique, and eventually arrives at the party in "disguise," in a simple dress, as just herself. Ernst creates a dynamic personality for Sylvia Jean, with delightful details in the costumes and clever touches in illustrations and text that will amuse both children and adults. The polished illustrations and a pleasing design—with insets surrounded by zigzag borders—complement the humorous story and funny dialogue. (Picture book. 4-7)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Sylvia Jean, a piglet, is always in costume, whether visiting the dentist, attending school, or gardening with her mother. Everyone in town is used to seeing her dressed up, so when the announcement for a costume party with a grand prize for the best outfit is posted at the grocery store, Sylvia Jean is considered a shoo-in. All week, she conjures up and discards ideas. As the pressure mounts and everyone keeps quizzing her on her choice, she locks herself in her bedroom, where she is in tears. Suddenly, she smiles. When the event rolls around, no one recognizes her until she speaks up, as she is wearing the most spectacular costume of all-she is dressed as herself. Happily, she wins the grand prize-a trunk filled with costumes. Ernst's familiar, homey illustrations fill the pages with a lovable little pig surrounded by warm pastel colors outlined in black. An enjoyable tale that subtly shows how special it is to be true to oneself.-Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.