Pig-Boy: A Trickster Tale From Hawaii

McDermott, G. (2009). Pig-Boy: A trickster tale from Hawaii. New York: Harcourt Children's Books.

Genre: Myths
Format: Picture Book
Recommended Age: 3-9

Most people are undoubtedly unaware of anything to do with ancient Hawaiian mythology, which is why this story serves as a wonderful medium by which to communicate some of the unheard legends that have infiltrated Hawaiian culture for centuries. Pig-boy is a story based upon the god Kamapua'a, a trickster and a hero in Hawaiian mythology. This trickster often gets himself into precarious situations, yet as illustrated throughout the story, is able to slip away just in the nick of time by transforming into many different pig-like creatures that are seen throughout the Hawaiian islands, such as a hog, boar, and a pig-nosed fish called the humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apua'a. The brightly illustrated pictures will capture the attention of any young child, and those aged 3-9 will especially enjoy the opportunity the story brings to explore a faraway place from a faraway time. This book is a must for any school or library collection.

Scheps, S. Pig-Boy: A trickster tale from Hawaii [A review of the book Pig-Boy: A Trickster Tale From Hawaii]. Retrieved March 10, 2010 from http://www.amazon.com/Pig-Boy-Trickster-Hawaii-Gerald-McDermott/dp/0152165908.

Scheps gives this book a positive review, pointing out the many artistic expressions that she favors, such as the golds, oranges, and reds used to create human figures and the bright purple used for the pig-boy as he continually transforms throughout the book. Scheps also praises McDermott for leaving out a sexual element between Kamapua'a and the goddess Pele that is apparently a large part of the traditional tale, and points out that despite its absence the story is still as charming as ever. I agree with Scheps' review, and I too especially enjoyed the consistency of colors used for the characters withing the story, which can easily aid children in being able to differentiate between the characters. I found this story to be delightful, and am especially appreciative of the fact that I unintentionally received a history lesson while enjoying it.