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Published February 21, 2014 at 1:42 p.m. | Updated April 4, 2022 at 7:52 p.m.
Plenty of children’s books have big ideas to ponder and inspirational messages to glean, but sometimes kids — and parents — crave something a little lighter. If you’re in the mood for a silly read, and don’t mind a little scatological humor, Meet Wild Boars by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall is an excellent choice.
“Beware of this book,” reads a warning on the front flap. “It is full of wild boars! They are dirty and smelly, bad-tempered and rude, so whatever you do, do not try to make friends with them.” My kids — Mira, 6, and Theo, 3 — were enticed from the get go.
On the first page we meet Boris, Morris, Horace and Doris, beasts so insufferable that they will assault you with their tusks, stomp on your treats and make nasty smells, even when you are polite to them.
Doris is the worst. “She is stinkier than a stinkpot turtle. She is uglier than an ugli fruit. She is bossier than a Bossysaurus,” Rosoff writes. As I read, Theo studied the small illustration of the Bossysaurus, wondering aloud whether such a creature really exists.
“Beware of this book,” reads a warning on the front flap. “It is full of wild boars! They are dirty and smelly, bad-tempered and rude, so whatever you do, do not try to make friends with them.” My kids — Mira, 6, and Theo, 3 — were enticed from the get go.
On the first page we meet Boris, Morris, Horace and Doris, beasts so insufferable that they will assault you with their tusks, stomp on your treats and make nasty smells, even when you are polite to them.
Doris is the worst. “She is stinkier than a stinkpot turtle. She is uglier than an ugli fruit. She is bossier than a Bossysaurus,” Rosoff writes. As I read, Theo studied the small illustration of the Bossysaurus, wondering aloud whether such a creature really exists.
This article was originally published in Seven Days' monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
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About The Author
Alison Novak
Bio:
Alison is the former managing editor at Kids VT, Seven Days' parenting publication and writes about education for Seven Days.
Alison is the former managing editor at Kids VT, Seven Days' parenting publication and writes about education for Seven Days.
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