BOO!

Velcome to the Little Crooked Cottage’s Haunted Halloween Bash! 

I am your host. . . Count Pigula! Mwa-ha-ha-ha! 

Don’t mind the cobwebs. I went a little overboard this year because nearly all the spiders RSVP’d yes. Itsy Bitsy, Charlotte and Miss Spider are already here, hanging around. Only one spider sent his regrets--I forget why. Something about being very busy. 

Any-hoo. . .

I like your costume! Are you hungry? Please help yourself, we have so much food! Everyone brought treats. The Girl and Cub brought cookies, of course. We have twelve pounds of banana pudding from the monkeys. Pony brought feather-free macaroni. Oh! And someone brought a sushi platter! Very fancy. I’m not sure who it was, but my money’s on Fang, the shark.

Speaking of. . . apparently, the Big Bad Wolf thought it would be just hilarious to bring a huge tray of Pigs in a Blanket.

Look at my face. Am I laughing? No, no, I'm not.

Ah, well. I won't let it dampen my spirits. How can I? I just LOVE Halloween!

You know what is funny? Zombelina and Vamperina Ballerina came dressed as EACH OTHER! HA! And the Gingerbread Man is dressed as the Elf on the Shelf! Every time he jumps up and sits on the mantle in the living room, I can’t help but giggle. (He’d better be careful, though. I hear he’s had some close calls around fire.)

Really, all the costumes are so creative! A few years ago, we had twenty-three Harry Potters and fifteen Hermiones, but so far this year, I haven’t seen any repeats!

What’s that? No, Vampire Boy doesn’t count, because technically, he’s not in a costume.

Anyway, I’ll let you mingle.

I’ll be hosting a spooky story hour in just a little while, and I have to go get into character. I can’t wait! I’m pulling my favorite spooky stories off The Little Crooked Bookshelf!

It’s going to be SPOOKTACULAR! See you soon! 

Mr. Pig Live!

Hello, and welcome to my talk show . . .  Mr. Pig Live! 

Today we have a fang-tastic guest who made a big splash with his picture book debut. Let's give it up for . . .

FANG!

From Nugget & Fang, by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Michael Slack, of course!

In the deep ocean, tiny Nugget and big, toothy Fang get along swimmingly—until Nugget’s first day of minnow school. There Nugget learns that minnows are supposed to be afraid of sharks! To regain Nugget’s trust, Fang takes desperate (and hilarious) measures. But it’s not until his big sharp teeth save the entire school that minnows learn this shark is no foe.

Let's watch a clip, shall we?



Welcome, Fang! I'll dive right in. Is Fang your full name?
Yes. I’m kind of like Madonna and Cher. Only a first name is necessary.

What three words best describe you?
friendly, earnest, toothy

What is the best thing about being you?
I am ridiculously photogenic.

Your smile is dazzling. What is the worst thing about being you?
Sometimes I don’t make very good first impressions.

From Nugget & Fang. Illustration copyright 2013 by Michael Slack.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
I would bring someone who could push me back into the water.

Good thinking. When do you feel the happiest?
When I’m swimming up, down, and all around with my best friend, Nugget.

From Nugget & Fang. Illustration copyright 2013 by Michael Slack.

What is you least favorite word? 
Sharknado

What is your special talent?
I’m in a band. We call ourselves The Wild Seahorses. We’re fin-tastic.

What is your least favorite sound?
Duh-nuh. Duh-nuh. Duh-nuh.

If a genie gave you one wish, what would you wish for?
I wish the pigeon could drive that bus. I think he’d be awesome at it.
 
What was it like working with Tammi Sauer? 
Tammi’s great. She captured our story beautifully. And she did it without being melodramatic, you know? She could have totally sold our story to Star(fish) Magazine, but that human has integrity. Plus, she is anti-fishstick. 

Is she anti-pork, too? If so, then she's welcome at the Cottage any time. Thank you, Fang! Please stay to take a bite out of lunch.

And thank you, fans, for watching. Tune in next time when we interview another children's book star! Hint: she's little, red, and hopefully carrying a basket of cookies.


About the book

Nugget & Fang 
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
 
"...it's darn near impossible to resist such an earnest, toothy hero." --Kirkus

"Sauer creates kindly characters and hits sweetly humorous notes throughout." --Publisher's Weekly

"Kids are likely to snap it up hook, line, and sinker." --BCCB

For the trailer, a teacher’s guide, and a peek at some of Michael Slack’s early sketches, click here for the Nugget & Fang website.

About the author
Tammi Sauer has sold more than a fifteen picture books to major publishing houses. In addition to winning awards, her books have gone on to do great things. Cowboy Camp was developed into a musical in Katy, Texas. Mostly Monsterly was selected to be a part of the 2012 Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program. And Chicken Dance was released in French which makes her feel extra fancy. 

To learn more about Tammi, visit www.tammisauer.com.

 
About the illustrator

Michael Slack is an illustrator, author, and character designer. His vibrant picture books include J. Patrick Lewis’s Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems, which Publishers Weekly called "comically absurd" in a starred review. Michael’s paintings and drawings have been exhibited in the U.S. and Europe. He lives in the Bay Area of California. 

For more info about Michael, visit www.slackart.com.

Literary Lunch

Here at the Cottage, we always serve our MR. PIG LIVE! guests a tasty lunch, created by Nina from Mamabelly's Lunches with Love. Today Nina has whipped up something special for our guest, Fang, from Nugget and Fang by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Michael Slack.

Holy mackerel! Fang's mouth-watering lunch includes:

• a Fang peanut butter sandwich with a carrot Nugget
• surrounded by cucumber, pepper, carrot, celery, corn and strawberry corals and underwater plants

Not shown: a rusty license plate for dessert.