Member Reviews
This was a fun graphic novel to read. There were no words spoken but that didn’t hurt it at all. We see the date start simple enough, but in short time it goes amuck. Porky wants it to be perfect but nature keeps showing up and crashing the party. As this graphic novel comes to a close the weather takes a bad turn and it looks like this date is over.
While it is true that this book has no dialogue, it does rely upon a fair number of sound effects, most of which are unnecessary. The illustrations do a fair job of expressing the plot. Discussion questions in the back help the young reader interpret images and make inferences.
I was curious to pick this up and find out what a wordless graphic novel was. In the most obvious sense it is a graphic novel without text - and it was that. I am guess that it is an attempt to have the illustrations speak for themselves through the action scenes.
In this wordless graphic novel, Porky and Petunia pig are off to go on a picnic and ants and other nature decide to crash the party and make it a not-so-fun experience for Porky. Petunia is pretty oblivious throughout the story which adds some comedic effect. I think for older kids this would be a fun 'read' it is like watching a cartoon without them talking and only sound effects. However, for younger kids they want to know what is happening and words are helpful sometimes.
I found that that idea of a picnic like this one - the basket and red blanket are of the past and younger readers might not appreciate the idea. I think that the book was trying to pull on the heartstrings of the adults reading to their kids more than anything for a nostolgic feeling. Also confusing was the number of ants - we start with about three and then there seem to be swarms. I understand trying to keep some of the actions simplistic to show action but my young viewer at the time wanted to know where all the ants came from - she made a good point.
I think that for self-suffuicent readers or picture book lovers this could be a good edition to your collection but it fell a bit short for me.
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the ARC of this graphic novel in exchange of a honest review.
In this short, wordless graphic novel for pre-readers, Porky and Petunia from Looney Tunes are having a picnic, but things don't go as they expected.
The illustrations are quite well and the story is fun. It accomplishes it's purpose; entertaining the younger ones.
A wordless graphic novel for kids. I would say it's well done. I like the illustrations. It feels like I am watching a cartoon show while reading it.
The story shows a scenario where Porky and his sweetheart Petunia were having a picnic outside. But then his food gets attacked. Find out who did that and how Porky handled it.
Wish Porky would calm down a little bit and Petunia was a little observant.
Thank you, author/artist and the publisher, for the advance reading copy.
thanks a lot to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of this book, to the author as well.
1. what do porky and petunia's hand gestures tell you in the panel?
I think they are looking at the right space to have their picnic.
2. why does Porky have so many arms here? what is he doing?
Porky has a lot of hands since he got ants on him so he is removing them.
3. What happened to Porky's sandwich? How do you know?
Porky's sandwich was destroyed by thunder. I know because part of the story shows that.
4. How does Porky feel in this panel? what clues tell you that?
Because he's hungry and the clues is because his sandwich was destroyed by a thunder
nice book.
4.5
Okay Nostalgia here we are!!! I read this right before i went to bed and loved how goofy, and hilarious this was. Brings me back to when i watched the orignal shows when i was little. I also then read it with my youngest and he enjoyed it as well.
Who doesn't love Looney Tunes?
I loved this super cute story. It's a wordless graphic novel, there are "action/sound" bubbles but that's it. You can add your own dialogue, or have your kids do the dialogue. Lot's of fun to be had. I especially enjoyed the panel talk questions at the end, ensuring you were actually paying attention to what you saw.
This is a format I wish we saw more of. Sometimes talking less gives you more. I hope you enjoy Porky and Petunia's picnic hijinx as much as I did.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an advanced copy of this graphic novel. I am giving my voluntary honest review.
The Looney Tunes never ceased to make me laugh ! When I was a kid I spend hours watching them on the TV.
So simple yet so funny. This little graphic novels is perfect for children and adults alike. For the adults, it may be a way to go back into childhood for a few minutes. For Children it's a great way to learn and introduce them to the world of graphic novels. I loved the questions at the end. They make for a fun learning experience.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the e-arc. I have always loved Looney Tunes and reading this brought me back to my childhood. The illustrations are amazing and it is funny to see Porky get himself stuck in a situation. Even without words, the graphic novel made me laugh. This would be a great read for anyone who grew up watching Looney Tunes and for children.
For something with no words, this was really expressive and I think kid's will be able to follow along with it pretty easily. It's a fun story with everything I except from a Looney Tune
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review
*thank you to Netgalley, Capstone/ Picture Window Books, Derek Fridolfs and Scott Gross for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars.
Porky Pig and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang never get tiresome. There is something so comforting about reading a wordless graphic novel. It allows you to really focus on the illustrations and interpret the story in your own mind. It's a really fun thing to do from time to time and I'd highly recommend it. It also gave me a few smiles and giggles.
I liked how at the end, it gave you a few questions to answer about the story. This would be perfect for those sharing this book with another.
This book is one you can pick up again and again. It's easy to follow and understand and great for all ages and particularly those who have trouble reading.
Picnic Pigs by Derek Fridolfs and Scott Gross is a story about Porky and Petunia going on a picnic but things don’t go as planned. I feel like this is a decent introduction to graphic novels for young readers; however, I would have liked to see more dialogue to add a light story that went along with the images. Visual storytelling did work here and the images were easy to follow, so I’m sure younger audiences would be able to grasp the general story as well, but I think the story would have been more captivating if there was light-hearted dialogue to go along with the images. Overall, the illustrations were well done and it’s a fun story featuring classic Looney Tunes characters.
This would be a perfect gift for any child between the ages of 1- 5 , and I think even an 8 year old might like it just as a keepsake. The credentials of the illustrator itself make it a worthy buy. Since there's no long words to read, and absolutely excellent artwork, as I've said, it's nice even for a child who can't read yet- it's fun for the kid to turn the pages and look at the antics! All recognisable as well, rain playing a spoiler and so on, so engaging even for a very small child. Would recommend it for anyone who's tired of giving their friends the same old toys and clothes as gifts for their baby- this would be more fun!
It is amazing how in Looney Tunes world a simple picnic can be a disaster ..... to Porky Pig. And he alone can have rain around him while everywhere is dry. Of course the story meant to entertain us and make us laugh on his unfortunate life. And in a short and practically no conversation to read, this is an easy book to read. Definitely one you need to lift up your mood.
This comic is very short. The art is lovely but extra filler in the storyline will make it interesting.
This review is based upon reviewing a version of this book prior to publication via, the website, Net Gally. I kinda feel bad that I pan most I'm finding there, but gets to how poorly books are written these days than those from times past based upon the large bulk of books I read.
I guess the "wordless' MaGuffin tossed about this series is for a purpose. What that is, is beyond me. Appears it's just a gimmick to sell this to the illiterate and to pitch to the world market. Since the earliest sequential storytelling of over a century ago, there have been comics in pantomime. This part is nothing new. Unfortunately, the effort here is also nothing new ....and done very, very poorly.
As a long-time professional cartoonist, well trained by the likes of Joe Kubert, Dick Hodgins and so many others, I have a love and enormous respect for sequential storytelling. It's not hard to do, IF you know what you are doing. The two tagged with this, do not.
Some would most complain that this is an over trod tale. Better done using animation and comic strips and comic books over the past decades. What's really odd about the story is that few picnic anymore with red checkered coverings. How many can relate to this story. Especially children?
There is also a freakish effort that seems to indicate that the ants included combine themselves into various objects and beings. The blame for this goes to the writer, but the artistic implementation gets into the poorly drawn storytelling.
For instance, at one point there are 3 ants that appear to be marching towards Porky Pig. Then a panel of Porky about to bite a sandwich. Next panel is his head swinging around to look behind him. In this panel are 2 lumps from under his shirt. Lumps of what? Good story telling would show the 2 two lumps with the third ant shown in the process of going under the shirt.
The next page has a very odd panel that makes no sense involving Porky Pig pointing up out of the panel with half closed eyes and smiling. Have no idea what that is telling to move the story along. Sadly, this poor storytelling continues throughout.
An equal problem are the renderings of the characters. Porky Pig, Petunia Pig, a squirrel, the anys, etc. are inconsistently drawn. Worse are the legs of three mentioned as the length alters throughout. At one point Petunia is drawn and posed in a weird sexy model way. To accomplish this, her legs suddenly double in length to achieve the effect.Why is a sexy Petunia in a book for children is another mystery. The squirrels is all sorts of sizes through his part of the story. I got the impression the one drawing this wanted the characters to be human size and worked toward that any time possible. Also, the outdoor illustration give the impression the artist doesn't go outside much.
As i reviewed a 'Tom & Jerry' version of this series about 6 months ago, I recommend not purchasing this and to do purchase collections of the far, far better comic book collections from decades ago.
Bottom line: i don't recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
There's definitely a place for a wordless graphic novel like this. It's a good way to show younger kids how graphic novels flow. Yet, there just doesn't seem to be any heart to the book. Porky Pig is funny because of what he does AND says. Without a voice, the book falls flat. I think focusing on wordless characters like Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote would work better for what they're trying to do.
3.5 stars
Picnic Pigs is a short wordless and whimsical graphic book that tells a story of a Porky Pig and Petunia Pig. Would recommend.
Thank you to the authors, NetGalley and Picture Window Books for the ARC of this book.
The illustrations and colors are cute and fun to look at. Even if this is a wordless graphic novel, I still feel sad for Porky with all the happenings in his picnic date with Petunia. Still cute though. I think children will enjoy this one.