And the Winner Is . . . (Piggy #5)

Piggy deals with disappointment by finding the bright side. Originally published in Dutch, this latest series entry finds Piggy painting a picture for an upcoming art contest while his friends play nearby. While roller-skating, Mouse becomes distracted and turns to look at Piggy's work. He skates into Rabbit, who's stretched out practicing floor yoga. Hurt and angry, Rabbit pushes Mouse, who rolls right into Piggy. Piggy accidentally tears the painting. Mouse and Rabbit are contrite, but Piggy is crying, and Bird, Turtle, and Cat are also sad. Then Mouse has an idea: They'll all join in patching up the hole and painting their own contributions over it. Piggy considers the makeshift result "a masterpiece," but the judges disagree. Is Piggy upset? No! "I've already won first prize—because I have the best friends in the world." The final spread shows all the friends happily painting a big blue canvas together. Piggy wears the same gold sweater as in the other books, and once again, small touches of color stand out against white backgrounds and black lines. Previous installments have focused on a constellation of related traits—kindness, caring, collaboration, and sharing—and this latest follows suit, with delightful results. Another sweet, warm outing with a most endearing hero. - Kirkus Reviews