School Library Journal (Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)

Gr 1-3 Porky, a pig, is a bachelor slob and Bess, a cat, is a single-mother neatnik, but they support each other through everyday adventures like cooking, ice-skating, and writing poetry. While these characters lack the charm and personality of classic beginning-reader duos such as Frog and Toad or George and Martha, they are pleasant enough. Each chapter offers a unique event, with the ongoing story line of Porky's poem-in-progress weaving throughout, though the pattern is jarred slightly by a single-page "Chapter three" in which Porky experiences writer's block. Chapter four offers the most whimsy, as the friends bake a cake that includes nighttime as an ingredient, but the book ends rather predictably as Porky presents a poem declaring his friendship for Bess. The names "Porky and Bess," reminiscent of the Gershwin opera, will amuse adults while having no effect on young readers. The warm, cozy illustrations have a Richard Scarry look to them, though they are less frenetic. Children will enjoy examining the detailed scenes, especially in Porky's messy house. While perhaps not destined to be a classic, this is a serviceable entry in the beginning-reader genre. Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

In between outings with his best friend Bess (a meticulous cat, mother of three kittens), Porky (a messy, disorganized, bachelor pig) is trying to write a special poem for Poem-Reading Day. By books end, Porky has found the perfect words to celebrate their friendship. Gently humorous and expressive pictures illustrate this odd-couple pair.

ALA Booklist (Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)

Even though they're best friends, Porky the pig and Bess the cat could not be more different: "Porky didn't mind a mess. Bess liked things just so." Porky, who isn't much for children, lives alone in his cozy, chaotic house; Bess has three kittens and keeps her house in perfect, dust-free order. Porky's struggle to write a poem for the neighborhood Poem-Reading Day links five short episodes that introduce these affectionate pals, who visit each other, ice skate, and, in a particularly whimsical scene, stir up a special cake, baked in a dark kitchen, that includes nighttime as one of the ingredients. Part of the Step into Reading series, this title holds its own on the crowded shelves of early chapter books about dissimilar but devoted friends. The humorous details in the smoothly paced text (which includes some playful, colloquial language, such as "perfecter") and in Winborn's expressive color drawings will keep new readers engaged and eager to read more of Porky and Bess' adventures.

Kirkus Reviews

The title reference to Gershwin's Porgy and Bess has no bearing upon the content of this story, making it seem like a gimmick rather than a thoughtful choice. Characters are not African Americans, but anthropomorphic animals: Porky, a sloppy pig, and Bess, a fastidious mother cat. Throughout five short chapters, the odd-couple friends at turns enjoy one another's company and struggle to see past their differences. Winborn's watercolor illustrations enhance the story (of particular note is the humorous clothing she creates for Porky) and provide visual cues for readers as they follow Porky's efforts to bake a cake (aided by Bess) and to write a poem in tribute to their friendship. Readers will likely arrive at the concluding rhyme Porky struggles to create well before he does: "And when the day is at an end, / I like that Bess is my best friend." The brief chapters are broken into short paragraphs, and although this isn't a particularly exciting read, this structure and the story's resolution will be satisfying for new readers. (Early reader. 6-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The authors assuredly tread on tried-and-true turf with this cheery, wryly titled early reader starring two best friends who, readers learn, “could not have been more different.” However, it's only early on that any time is spent on their differences. Porky is a rumpled pig whose house is a sty-worthy mess: dirty hoof-shaped socks litter the floor and the three-day-old bread he favors is stored in an unorthodox spot (“He liked to keep it on the kitchen chair”). Bess is a stylish, proper cat who likes everything perfect (“The perfecter, the better”) and whose three feisty kittens are named Two, Three, and Bunky. But these personal preferences have little bearing on the evident friendship between the animals. One evening, they create a “moon cake,” mixing into the batter the key ingredient, “foggy-night-on-the-water.” And by the end, Porky has completed his poem to Bess after finally finding a word that rhymes with “end,” a blank that readers will likely have filled in long before. Winborn's (the Digby and Kate series) lighthearted, detail-filled pictures lend warmth and brightness to the by-the-numbers story line. Ages 4–7. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Feb.)