Illustrated by Vanessa Cabban

Pig’s new polka-dot knickers make
him feel so special that he can’t stop
showing off in them.

“What do you think of me in my
new knickers?” he asks, as he parades proudly past his friends.

But is it really Pig’s knickers that are so extraordinary – or is it something else?

"An entertaining and funny story
with a joyous message"

Lindsey Stainer, THE BOOKSELLER

"Exuberant, dramatic and laugh-out-loud funny"

Susan Stephenson, THE BOOK CHOOK

Read these and other reviews

Walker Books

UK Hardcover • ISBN-10: 1406316245 • ISBN-13: 9781406316247
UK Paperback • ISBN-10: 1406329592 • ISBN-13: 978-1406329599

This book is available in a number of foreign language editions.
Click here for more details

The Mole and Friends series, that began with Bringing Down the Moon, has been very popular, so after the fourth Mole book was finished the series’ UK publisher, Walker Books, asked me if I could come up with a story featuring a new set of characters that might be the start of another series for Vanessa Cabban (Mole’s illustrator) to illustrate.

A few years back Vanessa and I had discussed the possibility of her illustrating a new version of my first ever picture book, Fox’s New Coat, which was only in print for a very short of period. I’ve always thought that this was the sort of story that Vanessa would handle very well, so I suggested it to Walker. Publishers are understandably reluctant to take a story that has not succeeded the first time around, even with a new illustrator, and Walker declined, so I decided to try to write another story with a similar feel.

In Fox’s New Coat, Fox is so proud of her woollen coat that she becomes oblivious to her surroundings and does not realise that, as he parades around showing it off, the coat is unravelling. I set out to write a new story about an article of clothing that had a similarly transformative effect on the character wearing it.

Having used woodland creatures for the Mole and Friends books, I wanted a contrasting set of creatures for this book, so I chose farmyard animals. Then I tried pairing different farmyard animals with different items of clothing. As soon as the pairing of “pig” and “knickers” occurred to me, I knew I was on to something. The word “knickers” is inherently funny and the phrase “The Pig’s Knickers” has a similar ring to established phrases such as “The Cat’s Pyjamas”.

Sheep looks so chic in her woolly one-piece, There’s nothing that suits her so much as a fleece, But she’s nowhere as stylish, nowhere as slick as Magnificent ME in my polka-dot knickers! Cow’s slinky suede suits her down to the ground, And that black and white pattern’s the coolest around, But she’ll never turn anyone’s head quite as quick as Miraculous ME in my polka-dot knickers! If you’re searching for style, then you might go for Goat, Who is classily clothed in a cool cashmere coat, But he’s not as well-dressed, not such a good pick as Marvellous ME in my polka-dot knickers! The first version of the story featured a song which Pig sang to the other animals.

The first version of the story I wrote was quite different from the one in the book; the knickers made Pig big-headed and there was no dancing or acrobatics, Pig just paraded around telling the other animals how fashionable he now looked in comparison to them. His boasts took the form of a song, the writing of which took more time than the rest of the story. The first three verses are shown opposite, but I’ve left out the last verse as it gives away the twist at the end of the story.

I could tell that the story wasn’t quite working, but couldn’t figure out how to fix it. Fortunately Denise Johnstone-Burt, one of the book’s editors, was able to point me in the right direction by suggesting I should cut the songs to make room for a little interaction between Pig and the other animals, and try to make Pig less arrogant and more likeable. I also reworked the story's ending, making it more upbeat by having Pig recognise that he was capable of being extraordinary with or without his knickers, and came up with a funnier way for the knickers to disappear (they were simply carried away by the wind in the original version).

The second version worked much better and Walker accepted it, so Vanessa was able to start work on the illustrations.

Apart from Goat, the other characters don’t have a lot do in this story, but if the book proves popular, I hope there will be further books centred on each of them. I already had ideas for the plots of these books which I was able to pass on to Vanessa when she was doing the character sketches.

The Pig’s Knickers is quite different in both writing and illustration style from books Vanessa and I have done together previously. Pig is a great deal more extrovert than Mole and his antics are far more broadly comical, but both Vanessa and I are both very pleased with him!

	This book is for Rachel

Illustration © 2010 Vanessa Cabban. Reproduced by permission of Walker Books Ltd., London .

Pig is feeling a bit humdrum until a pair of bright red spotty knickers happen to fly from a washing line and land on his head. He dons the bloomers and has a jolly time, parading around with confidence.
The Pig’s Knickers is an entertaining and funny story with a joyous message about sharing your feelings with friends and learning that it is what is on the inside that counts.

Lindsey Stainer, THE BOOKSELLER

It begins with Pig unable to enjoy the lovely day because he's sorry for himself. He feels drab and dull and wishes he looked special. A gust of wind blows a gorgeous red pair of knickers Pig's way. Those knickers transform Pig into a pirouetting, break-dancing, tango and salsa-ing gymnastical superstar. Or do they? Perhaps Pig was special even without his knickers?

This is such a happy picture book! Young kids will giggle over the title, and continue giggling over Pig's antics. They'll love being able to act out the actions with Pig, while parents will appreciate the subtle humour of the story. There's lots of great language to discuss.

Illustrations are simple, colourful and have lots of movement and action. All the animals have personality, and there are differing perspectives to give visual interest. Pig himself is exuberant, dramatic and laugh-out-loud funny.

Susan Stephenson, THE BOOK CHOOK

‘The Pig’s Knickers’ harks back to the older traditions of picture books. Based on a farm the illustrations are fun and give us a sense of the true countryside. There’s the big trees, many many fields, lots of animals…oh and a giant pair of knickers!

Pig (who is male I might add) feels rather drab as a plain old pig until one blustery day, a pair of giant polka dot knickers blow from the washing line, right into Pig’s trough. Bored as he is, Pig just has to try them on and finds himself rather fetching in them. It gives him confidence to show off to this friends … that is until a pesky goat ruins his fun. But in the end Pig’s friends teach him that it is he who is fun and fetching, and the polka-dot knickers were just a lovely accessory.

A delightfully silly, ridiculous story that will keep you giggling incredulously for a few hours.

Lucy Rose Thompson, 5MINUTESPEACE