Cupig: The Valentine's Day Pig by Claire Tattersfield (review)

Reviewed by: Cupig: The Valentine's Day Pig by Claire Tattersfield Natalie Berglind Tattersfield, Claire Cupig: The Valentine's Day Pig; illus. by Rob Sayegh Jr. Flamingo/Penguin, 2023 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593623107 $14.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593623114 $8.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-7 yrs Cupig delights in shooting her arrows and spreading love, so even when the winds pick up on Valentine's Day this year, Cupig perseveres, certain her aim will stay true despite the gales. Unfortunately, she's not entirely successful. Instead of being with Jelly, Peanut Butter has found new love: "Anchovies have joined the picture / to make a most disgusting mixture." Fork leaves Knife for a whisk, Salt and Pepper call it quits, and Needle ditches Thread for a haystack. When Cupig eventually realizes she's left misery in her wake rather than swoony devotion, she goes to set things right. After a tireless day reuniting the couples, Cupig stows the arrows until next year and comes to the conclusion that "sometimes she should just take a day off." Viewers will find it easy to forgive Cupig her missteps in light of her begging-to-be-squeezed chubby cheeks, heart-adorned tighty whities, and proportionally tiny wings. Collaged-like textures lend visual interest to the digital art, with crumpled paper used for clouds, while looping, red dashed lines track the errant arrows progress across each spread. Pun-filled speech bubble commentary accompanies the rhyming verse that flows cheekily from page to page, gently making fun of these pairings and inviting viewers to consider other familiar duos like Peanut Butter and Jelly. This one's sure to be a hit with the picture book crowd come mid-February. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois