Starred Review Mary Poppins, move over get shoved out of the way. Nanny Piggins has arrived. Most recently employed at the circus as the pig shot out of a cannon, she assumes the title Nanny when she spies a Help Wanted sign on the lawn of the Green family. Mrs. Green is dead, and Mr. Green is so tightfisted he refuses to pay a human nanny. So when a pig applies . . . . But as the three Green children soon realize, Nanny Piggins is a jewel. Extraordinarily clever, she knows when to morph that quality into deviousness, which certainly becomes necessary when dealing with the dull, pompous Mr. Green. The children rrick, Samantha, and Michael omptly fall in love with Nanny Piggins because she lets them eat sweets all day and comes up with the most marvelous ideas, like taking a boat to China to get Chinese takeout. Even when things don't exactly work out as planned (and they rarely do), the high jinks and hilarity make them excellent adventures. Stuffing adjectives into this review is as easy as watching Nanny Piggins stuff pies into her mouth. This is smart, sly, funny, and marvelously illustrated with drawings that capture Nanny's sheer pigginess. Readers may worry that this first novel is so full of stories about Nanny Piggins there won't be enough left for sequels. Never fear. The last line of the book predicts Nanny will be stirring up more adventures, possibly even before breakfast.

Gr 4-6 Mr. Green is a major cheapskate and has little interest in his three motherless children. His recent nanny left and he needs to hire a new one, but he refuses to pay for an ad in the newspaper. Instead he sticks a "Nanny Wanted" sign in his window. When a former circus pig offers to take the job for 10 cents per hour, the offer is too good for the miserly man to pass up. There's never a dull day, however, when Nanny Piggins is around. School clothes shopping becomes a contest to see who can spend the least, a business gathering turns into a dance party, chocolate becomes a main course, and robbers are reformed. Each chapter is a story in itself, but together they create an amazing world with the energetic porcine leading the way. The plot is well developed and the characters are entertaining. Spot art lends atmosphere and captures the personalities, and the chapter titles are great teasers for keeping the pages turning. Reluctant and avid readers alike will get caught up in this book's humor, charm, and adventure. Kira Moody, Hunter Public Library, West Valley City, UT