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Little Books
Little Oink
From the creators of Little Pea and Little Hoot comes this tidy tale of a decidedly different pig. Little Oink is a neat little fellow. Clean clean clean that's all he wants to do. But Mama and Papa won't have it! They say in order to be a proper pig he has to learn to make a proper mess. "Don't come out until your room is a pigsty " says Papa Pig. "I won't have any child of mine going out looking so neat and clean. It's just not acceptable " says Mama Pig. Readers who hate to clean up will love this humorous twist on a universal dilemma.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
11 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
88 books1,094 followersSHORT BIO:
Amy Krouse Rosenthal was.
She divided her time.
NOT SO SHORT BIO:
Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a person who liked to make things.
Some things she liked to make include:
Children's books. (Little Pea, Spoon, DuckRabbit)
Grown-up books. (Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life)
Short films. (The Beckoning of Lovely, The Money Tree)
Guided journals. (The Belly Book)
Something out of nothing. (see above)
A longtime contributor to WBEZ and to the TED conference,
Amy lived with her family in Chicago and online at whoisamy.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
July 28, 2009
I agree with my friend Abigail that this was not quite as novel and entertaining as Rosenthal's other works "Little Pea" and "Little Hoot" though perhaps it is because we read it last of the trio and by now we were used to the style. Still, it's a humorous little tale with some cute illustrations and great to see a kid who wants very much to clean up his room! :-)
September 11, 2020
This is a story about a tidy little pig who balks at his parents' orders to make a mess. He just wants to be neat like all his non-pig friends!
Little Oink is in the same vein as Little Pea , except that instead of a vegetable who won't eat his sweets, we have a pig who won't make a mess. These books are cute in that they turn the expected on its head. Kids (and parents) are likely to get a giggle out of the absurdity of the situations.
There's really not a lot of plot, but the premise is delightful. There's apparently another book in the series called Little Hoot that deals with an owl who doesn't want to stay up late, which I definitely want to read now. I'll have to see if I can get my hands on a copy.
Quotable moment:
Little Oink is in the same vein as Little Pea , except that instead of a vegetable who won't eat his sweets, we have a pig who won't make a mess. These books are cute in that they turn the expected on its head. Kids (and parents) are likely to get a giggle out of the absurdity of the situations.
There's really not a lot of plot, but the premise is delightful. There's apparently another book in the series called Little Hoot that deals with an owl who doesn't want to stay up late, which I definitely want to read now. I'll have to see if I can get my hands on a copy.
Quotable moment:
November 15, 2019
I like it and I'd give it a 4, but I'm afraid Rosenthal is hitting a rut and will insist on turning out 5 or 6 more of these a la Laura "If You Give..." Numeroff.
On the other hand, could Little Oink come to my house? The Pigs can have MY kids ;)
On the other hand, could Little Oink come to my house? The Pigs can have MY kids ;)
July 18, 2017
Little Pea, Little Hoot and Little Oink -I read these three adorkable children's books yesterday which adopt the reverse psychology on kids, if it can be called that.
There is a common setup for all the stories. These little ones live with their Mama and Papa, they hate doing something that is expected of them (also, forced on them by their parents) AND love something that kids, more often than not, are stereotyped to hate.
Little Hoot hates to wait for bedtime.
Little Oink hates mess up time.
Little Oink spends his play time by tidying his Tree house! :D Such a dork!
Little Pea is where it all started.
Little Pea hates to eat candy for dinner every night.
But inspite of all the whining, Little Pea would eat Candy every night because he/she loves dessert, SPINACH! (I never understood the deal behind slyly making kids eat Spinach. Ahem. Popeye.)
To end, I think this is a very interesting way to introduce younger readers to reading, of course, but also to voice their opinions, to let them know that it's okay to like something everyone around them might hate and to hold on to what they love inspite of what anyone might have to say about it.
Note: I haven't considered the being a parent side of this yet. Spare my freedom, parents! Let me be the cool aunt.
There is a common setup for all the stories. These little ones live with their Mama and Papa, they hate doing something that is expected of them (also, forced on them by their parents) AND love something that kids, more often than not, are stereotyped to hate.
Little Hoot hates to wait for bedtime.
“All my other friends get to go to bed so much earlier than me!
Why do I always have to stay up and play? It’s not fair!”
"If you want to grow up to be a wise owl, you must stay up late,”
said Papa Owl.
Little Oink hates mess up time.
“All my friends get to clean their rooms.
Why can’t I?” asked Little Oink.
“If you want to grow up to be a respectable pig, you must learn how to make a proper mess,” said Papa Pig.
Little Oink spends his play time by tidying his Tree house! :D Such a dork!
Little Pea is where it all started.
Little Pea hates to eat candy for dinner every night.
“If you want to grow up to be a big, strong pea, you have to eat your candy,” Papa Pea would say.
“If you don’t finish your candy then you can’t have dessert,” Mama Pea would say.
But inspite of all the whining, Little Pea would eat Candy every night because he/she loves dessert, SPINACH! (I never understood the deal behind slyly making kids eat Spinach. Ahem. Popeye.)
To end, I think this is a very interesting way to introduce younger readers to reading, of course, but also to voice their opinions, to let them know that it's okay to like something everyone around them might hate and to hold on to what they love inspite of what anyone might have to say about it.
Note: I haven't considered the being a parent side of this yet. Spare my freedom, parents! Let me be the cool aunt.
November 14, 2021
The book features a single gimmick that I don't find funny because it doesn't push things far enough. In short, a young pig is ordered by his parents to have a messy bedroom but he prefers a neat bedroom. That's it.
April 5, 2015
Oink darling, I need to be more like you!
February 24, 2020
Following upon their immensely successful
Little Pea
and
Little Hoot
, Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace once again deliver a tale of a youngster whose experience is the inversion of some common childhood problem, whether it be the disinclination to eat vegetables, or a reluctance to go to bed. In Little Oink, the eponymous hero likes nothing so much as to be clean, but his parents insist that all good pigs must make a mess, and will not permit him to go out and play, until his room is looking like a pigsty...
I enjoyed this clever play on the classic parent-child conflict concerning the necessity of cleaning one's room, and thought Corace's ink and watercolor illustrations were charming. Little details, like Mama Pig's vintage glasses, added to the sense of visual whimsy. But while I think Little Oink will probably be a crowd-pleaser, particularly with young children who don't like to clean their rooms, somehow I didn't think it quite the equal of Little Pea . Whether this is owing to some difference in quality between the two, or merely to the fact that the novelty of concept has worn off, I couldn't really say. Still, this was an enjoyable picture-book, well worth the time of anyone who reads to (and with) toddlers.
I enjoyed this clever play on the classic parent-child conflict concerning the necessity of cleaning one's room, and thought Corace's ink and watercolor illustrations were charming. Little details, like Mama Pig's vintage glasses, added to the sense of visual whimsy. But while I think Little Oink will probably be a crowd-pleaser, particularly with young children who don't like to clean their rooms, somehow I didn't think it quite the equal of Little Pea . Whether this is owing to some difference in quality between the two, or merely to the fact that the novelty of concept has worn off, I couldn't really say. Still, this was an enjoyable picture-book, well worth the time of anyone who reads to (and with) toddlers.
March 23, 2017
Another book which was a near-miss with my four year old grandson. I wanted to share a few of Rosenthal's books with him as we'd never done so. But he didn't get the 'idea' behind the story - that a neat pig is unusual because 'most pigs' are or like to be 'messy.'
I read all sorts of books to him, silly ones, serious ones, ones with simple stories, others that have more to them, but this one he didn't care about, and wanted to 'find another' that he said he'd like better. (I own hundreds of books; he has his own personal library, shared with his brother, of several hundred books, so we are def. readers.)
But it didn't 'click' with him, which makes me sort of sad. I finished reading it alone, by myself as he wandered off to do something else. This almost never happens. But, just like we adults have authors, themes, and books we love, so do kids.
(We read the 'Incredible Book-Eating Boy' later, which he loves. I can read that one to him a dozen times in a row and he never gets tired of it.)
To each their own, I guess.
I read all sorts of books to him, silly ones, serious ones, ones with simple stories, others that have more to them, but this one he didn't care about, and wanted to 'find another' that he said he'd like better. (I own hundreds of books; he has his own personal library, shared with his brother, of several hundred books, so we are def. readers.)
But it didn't 'click' with him, which makes me sort of sad. I finished reading it alone, by myself as he wandered off to do something else. This almost never happens. But, just like we adults have authors, themes, and books we love, so do kids.
(We read the 'Incredible Book-Eating Boy' later, which he loves. I can read that one to him a dozen times in a row and he never gets tired of it.)
To each their own, I guess.
January 27, 2016
i'm not sure how i feel about this book. Especially if a child doesn't understand the humor behind the concept that cleaning is bad and making a mess is good when the opposite is true.
October 20, 2018
Aww, what an adorable book.
March 25, 2020
It's a kid's reading about a very neat little pig, who loved to dug playing with his piggy-friends but couldn't "mess up" his room!
May 11, 2020
Cute :)
February 15, 2021
Wow what a cute story.
September 7, 2023
Felt unresolved - poor little oink remains misunderstood by his family?
March 17, 2025
We don't like it as well as Little Pea.
Read
March 11, 2018And the last of the series. Little Oink is a pig who doesn't like having to make a mess. He does his chores, and is happy when he can start to play. His favorite game?
March 26, 2017
The recent death of acclaimed and beloved author and filmmaker Amy Krouse Rosenthal was felt deeply in the children's literature community and far beyond. I have to say that when I opened up my mail to discover the board book of Little Oink, I felt it in my heart. For years now, I have been a fan of the author's work, always looking forward to reading and discovering what Krouse Rosenthal would next publish. I remember reading Little Pea, adoring it, then reading my way through Spoon, Chopsticks, Plant a Kiss, Exclamation Mark, and more, as they were published. Little Oink is one of the titles in Little Books series, illustrated by Jen Corace, and is an example of the truly lovely and lively voice rooted in all of Krouse Rosenthal's books.
As we meet Little Oink, we get to learn a number of things about him, but perhaps the most important thing we learn is that Little Oink loves things to be neat. And because Little Oink likes neatness and tidying, he does not like the fact that he, because he is a pig, has to be messy! Little Oink is expected to 'make a mess, mess, MESS', but would much rather clean his room and wear freshly washed and spotless clothing. Little Oink's parents, as we find out, do their best to encourage Little Oink to make MESS- even making sure that Little Oink messes up his room and puts on dirty clothes before going out to play. While most piggies and other animals might jump at the chance to freely make messes, Little Oink is less than thrilled. But, being a good little piggy, he messes up enough to please his parents and then goes off, happily, to play his favourite (tidy) game: house! Sure to engage readers with its 'role reversal' of a little pig who loves to be as neat as a pin, Little Oink is at once a tranquil, comfortable kind of read with just-right moments of visual levity and humour.
Little Oink is a sweet, quietly funny, and all-around engaging read. Jen Corace's illustrations are so charming; clean, precise lines, bright colours, and beautifully imagined, personable pigs are perfect here for Krouse Rosenthal's text. Any readers who are fans of the work of Peter H. Reynolds, Patrick McDonnell, Karma Wilson or Kevin Henkes, those who have previously enjoyed Little Pea, Little Hoot, or who have loved any of Amy Krouse Rosenthal's incredible roster of picture books might especially want to meet Little Oink.
I received a copy of this title courtesy of Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.
July 21, 2012
Rosenthal, A.K. (2009). Little Oink. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
9780811866552
Appetizer: Little Oink is a happy little pig, but there's one part of his day that he doesn't like. He hates having to make a mess. While all the other animals spend a portion of their day cleaning, Oink wishes to join them.
Rosenthal has an amazing ability to play with expectation and perspective. In this picturebook, making a mess is not fun and cleaning is. What more could a preschool teacher/babysitter/parent want to share with kids?
*Spoiler for the ending* I especially liked that Little Oink if finally able to clean as he likes when he plays house. Not only does it show that Oink can still realize his dream, but also, it challenges the gender stereotype that the girl is supposed to be the one to clean. Yayz! Challenge away, Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Challenge away!
Dinner Conversation:
"And now comes the story of Little Oink.
Little Oink was a neat little pig. He liked a lot of things."
"But there was one thing Little Oink did not like: Mess up time. Because that's what you have to do when you're a pig."
"All my friends get to clean their rooms. Why can't I? asked Little Oink?"
To Go with the Meal:
A fun read aloud, I'd probably share this book from time to time at the end of the day when it comes time to clean the classroom before going home.
Another option is to use this at home. When Little Oink goes through the process of un-cleaning his room (unmaking his bed, unfolding clothes, throwing his towel on the floor, etc.), a young reader can clean all the places and things Little Oink can only dream of cleaning.
There is also a page where Little Oink must take his toys out of his toy box. The page counts all of his toys, but does so out of order. A teacher could discuss how numbers can be spelled out (ten instead of 10) and have a wee little child count the toys for themselves.
Tasty Rating: !!!!
9780811866552
Appetizer: Little Oink is a happy little pig, but there's one part of his day that he doesn't like. He hates having to make a mess. While all the other animals spend a portion of their day cleaning, Oink wishes to join them.
Rosenthal has an amazing ability to play with expectation and perspective. In this picturebook, making a mess is not fun and cleaning is. What more could a preschool teacher/babysitter/parent want to share with kids?
*Spoiler for the ending* I especially liked that Little Oink if finally able to clean as he likes when he plays house. Not only does it show that Oink can still realize his dream, but also, it challenges the gender stereotype that the girl is supposed to be the one to clean. Yayz! Challenge away, Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Challenge away!
Dinner Conversation:
"And now comes the story of Little Oink.
Little Oink was a neat little pig. He liked a lot of things."
"But there was one thing Little Oink did not like: Mess up time. Because that's what you have to do when you're a pig."
"All my friends get to clean their rooms. Why can't I? asked Little Oink?"
To Go with the Meal:
A fun read aloud, I'd probably share this book from time to time at the end of the day when it comes time to clean the classroom before going home.
Another option is to use this at home. When Little Oink goes through the process of un-cleaning his room (unmaking his bed, unfolding clothes, throwing his towel on the floor, etc.), a young reader can clean all the places and things Little Oink can only dream of cleaning.
There is also a page where Little Oink must take his toys out of his toy box. The page counts all of his toys, but does so out of order. A teacher could discuss how numbers can be spelled out (ten instead of 10) and have a wee little child count the toys for themselves.
Tasty Rating: !!!!
October 10, 2019
The concept is cute. The twist at the end was chuckle-inducing. Slightly slightly clever. The smallest bit fun.
May 12, 2009
Little Oink does not make much noise because he is the anti-pig. Instead of the stereotypical ham he is a neatnik, and that is such a contradiction that it makes for a nice diversion. Little Oink may or may not be the favorite book of parents or adults because it might remind them of their own litter. Young children should identify with the character and will certainly be able to draw some comparisons of their own. Everyone will applaud the ending.
The illustrations are bright, intriguing and well organized to accompany the cleverly written text. The movement of the illustrations and the ample use of plain white pages reinforce the cleanliness of Little Oink even when he is trying to be messy.
The best uses of this book are likely to be in homes, daycares, and pre-kindergarten classrooms because of the subject and the topic. In its most basic form Little Oink is a concept book that will receive occasional use. One possible extension might include the book as part of a larger unit on pigs. Everyone needs to know why pigs like mud, right? Pigs need to wallow in the mud to stay cool because they do not have sweat glands. Read this book aloud with some children and see if it stirs up a stink in your neighborhood.
John Parker
Media Coordinator
Andrews High School
50 HS Drive
Andrews, NC 28901
The illustrations are bright, intriguing and well organized to accompany the cleverly written text. The movement of the illustrations and the ample use of plain white pages reinforce the cleanliness of Little Oink even when he is trying to be messy.
The best uses of this book are likely to be in homes, daycares, and pre-kindergarten classrooms because of the subject and the topic. In its most basic form Little Oink is a concept book that will receive occasional use. One possible extension might include the book as part of a larger unit on pigs. Everyone needs to know why pigs like mud, right? Pigs need to wallow in the mud to stay cool because they do not have sweat glands. Read this book aloud with some children and see if it stirs up a stink in your neighborhood.
John Parker
Media Coordinator
Andrews High School
50 HS Drive
Andrews, NC 28901
April 15, 2009
Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Jen Corace are a winning combination: their previous collaborations “Little Pea” (about a wee vegetable who has to eat all his candy—yuck!—before he can have spinach for dessert) and “Little Hoot” (about a young owl who wishes he could go to bed early like all his friends, and didn’t have to stay up and play) are my go-to picture books for three- or four-year-olds, kids who are just beginning to understand the humor in topsy-turvy stories. Their latest, “Little Oink,” continues the laughs, with the tale of a piglet whose least favorite time of day is “mess up time,” when, at his parents’ behest, he has to unmake his bed, unfold his clothes, and muddy up his T-shirt. Even that’s not enough, says Papa Pig: “I still see toys in their bin, mister. Please—not another word until this room’s a total pigsty.” Only after he’s untidied to Papa & Mama’s specifications can he play his favorite game—house! Where he gets to sweep and scour and scrub as much as he wants. With whimsical, colorful illustrations (Papa Pig’s mustache is a hoot) and a sneaky message about delayed gratification, this is a great read-aloud for clutterful little ones.
June 1, 2017
Little Oink loves to play with his friends and go outside. He is a clean, respectful little pig. Little Oink actually envies his friends’ parents demands for clean bedrooms. His parents, Mama and Papa Pig, demand his bedroom be a pigsty. Little Oink prefers to be clean and presentable. He even wears a bib and uses utensils at lunchtime; when the others are belly-up to the trough. All this cleanliness upsets his parents. They worry Little Oink will not grow up to be a proper, respectable pig—one who makes messes.
Until Little Oink makes a pigsty, he’s stuck inside with his parents. Little Oink does not intend to watch his parents make a complete mess of the house.
Whatever it is Little Oink finds, he stole my heart with his enthusiasm and determination. Both the text and the illustrations are perfect for a picture book as well as a board book . . .
Originally reviewed on Kid Lit Reviews. To read the review and see interior illustrations, go to: http://bit.ly/LittleOink
Until Little Oink makes a pigsty, he’s stuck inside with his parents. Little Oink does not intend to watch his parents make a complete mess of the house.
Whatever it is Little Oink finds, he stole my heart with his enthusiasm and determination. Both the text and the illustrations are perfect for a picture book as well as a board book . . .
Originally reviewed on Kid Lit Reviews. To read the review and see interior illustrations, go to: http://bit.ly/LittleOink
June 6, 2017
Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s Little Oink turns the concept of keeping a clean room and being neat and tidy upside down. Little Oink likes being clean, but his parents tell him pigs are supposed to be dirty. They scold him if he doesn’t have enough dirt on his clothes.
But the little pig is happy being clean. He digs for truffles in the dirt with a trowel, not his hooves. And when his classmates happily grub at a trough during school lunches, Little Oink wears a bib and eats with a knife and fork.
Toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 4, who are at an age when they are likely to be told to clean up after themselves, will find lots to giggle over in this funny role reversal. Jen Corace’s illustrations are simple and sweet, just right for a cute story that youngsters will beg parents to read to them over and over again.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
But the little pig is happy being clean. He digs for truffles in the dirt with a trowel, not his hooves. And when his classmates happily grub at a trough during school lunches, Little Oink wears a bib and eats with a knife and fork.
Toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 4, who are at an age when they are likely to be told to clean up after themselves, will find lots to giggle over in this funny role reversal. Jen Corace’s illustrations are simple and sweet, just right for a cute story that youngsters will beg parents to read to them over and over again.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 12, 2010
Cute. It's not like some of the other Rosenthal books I have loved. But I think it still conveys with good humor about being neat and cleaning up. I had smiles, so it was good. I just don't think it would be as fantastic in storytime as the others. Maybe with the older children who would understand the more subtle humor in this than the younger. (Because, honestly, it took me some time in my childhood before I figured out that cleaning was good and important. But eating and sleeping well? I learned those very young.) Still, it might be worth a try.
8/10/10 & 8/12/10 This did not go as well as I thought. Perhaps because the pictures were so small. Or perhaps because the preschoolers don't have to clean their rooms as much. Or maybe they just didn't get the irony. But they get it with "Spoon" and "Little Pea." Who knows?
8/10/10 & 8/12/10 This did not go as well as I thought. Perhaps because the pictures were so small. Or perhaps because the preschoolers don't have to clean their rooms as much. Or maybe they just didn't get the irony. But they get it with "Spoon" and "Little Pea." Who knows?
January 10, 2016
I enjoyed reading this story because it really took a twist from the typical lessons we learn as a child. I know from my childhood I was always told to clean my room or else my father would put a sign on the door saying it was a "pigpen". I hated when he would put this sign up. I would rip it down and shut my door so no one could see that it was messy because no one could see into the room. One time, it got so bad that I was held back from going to school that day just to a thorough cleaning. After which my room was never messy again. I had a difficult time getting over that little hump.
I don't what I would do if my parents wanted me to mess up my room on purpose like Little Oink. I did like how he finally got to play and by playing I mean clean house. It can be really fun to clean house. I liked Little Oink he was just too cute!
I don't what I would do if my parents wanted me to mess up my room on purpose like Little Oink. I did like how he finally got to play and by playing I mean clean house. It can be really fun to clean house. I liked Little Oink he was just too cute!
September 20, 2013
Amy Krouse Rosenthal is now one of my favorite children's picture book authors. I absolutely adored Little Pea, Little Oink, and Little Hoot; three fantastic books that use reverse phycology to attempt making eating veggies, cleaning your room, and going to bed early sound like the coolest things a kid can hope for. Will it help even a single child rethink the awesomeness of the above mentioned??? Probably not. BUT they will LOVE to read and re-read these funny stories, and I would much rather have a voracious reader than a kid who went to bed early after eating her vegetables and cleaning her room without complaining.
February 16, 2018
Oh my goodness, these books are so cute. Little Oink just wants to be neat and tidy, but his parents think that home sweet home should be a real pigsty. The story wasn't quite as developed as the others in this series, and it kind of just drops off at the end, but the delightfully sweet illustrations will amuse both kids and adults.
February 18, 2019
This was my first book of the series, and by far my favorite. It delighted me so much as an adult, that I had to buy it. The characters have such adorable and realistic expressions that show their every thought and help tell the story, while the contents and details make the story that much cuter and funnier. Highly recommend!
December 21, 2019
Little Oink likes everything about being a pig except the mess. He likes to be neat and put everything away. However, that's not what pigs do so his parents make him mess up his room and wear dirty clothes. He complies and then heads outside to play in his very neat tree house.
Discussion about being different and unique.
Discussion about being different and unique.
July 16, 2009
This is the final book in the Little trilogy. In this adventure, little Oink wants nothing more than to clean his room but to be a good little piggy, he has to make a mess. Very cute. Any little one will be amused.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews