Title: Malibu: The Creative Pig
Author: Sonja den Hoed
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-5462-1418-2
Pages: 32
Genre: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Pigs
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Buy on Amazon The personification of pigs into cute people characters has been around for a long time; for example from the famous Porky Pig to the movie star Babe. Now it’s time to meet Malibu: The Creative Pig. Created by author Sonja den Hoed, Malibu has an artistic flair and very much likes to paint. He hopes and dreams someday having his paintings displayed at the local art gallery; as his mother emphasizes to him he needs to practice to make his work perfect! Determined to achieve his goal, he paints a picture of a tall giraffe with a little mouse atop its nose; the mouse having a look around the tree tops for its very first time. Being proud of his painting, he shows it off to his father after supper one day. His dad puts a photo of his work on his father’s social media site, taking a picture with Malibu proudly standing in front of his painting. Without being a spoiler to the plot but as one will surely guess, the gallery eventually calls Malibu to ask if he would bring his painting to an open showing they are having. Yes! Dreams do come true.
The story is woven through a normal family lifestyle complete with contemporary dynamics. The mom pig combs Malibu’s sister’s hair, they all sit around a dinner table and have supper when the father pig comes home from work, and Malibu has to keep his art supplies neatly put away when he is finished painting. Everyday normal activity for these finely dressed and happy pigs which wear trendy style shorts, shirts or dresses, even the father has a tie, yet everyone’s feet are displayed as hooves.
Children of younger ages and toddlers will love to be read this story and follow along with the whimsical illustrations. Hoed created a “warm and fuzzy” world of a happy pig family with the determined young Malibu having his dream of becoming a renowned artist. It shows children they can be whatever they want to be. If a pig can become a painter, then all children can do anything they work hard to achieve!
This book would be ideal for a baby shower present, or a birthday gift for a second or third birthday. Boys and girls would enjoy seeing a well-adjusted pig family with the father; mother, sister and son all love each other – albeit a bit of sibling teasing at times. The colorful pictures add for a memorable children’s book for all to enjoy.
