A family’s division of labour is disrupted when the mother, who does the household tasks, is suddenly absent. A note and peculiar changes bring fantasy into this family story.
More about this book
What a nice life the Piggott family has! Little Simon and Patrick Piggott go to a very important school. Mr. Piggott works at a very important job. And Mrs. Piggott does everything else. She washes for them, irons for them, cleans for them, and is always home from work to cook for them at the end of their busy days. But one evening Mrs. Piggott is nowhere to be found. The only trace is a mysterious note left on the mantlepiece that says, "You are pigs." Now what will the Piggotts do? Already everything and everyone has started to change in the most peculiar way. Young and old alike will rejoice when the Piggotts get their just desserts in this modern cautionary tale. Once again, award-winning author/artist Anthony Browne has fused fantasy and reality to create a humorous, deeply satisfying book that may just transform the entire family. - Back cover.
Mrs Piggott does the washing, ironing, cleaning and cooking while Mr Piggott and the boys attend to work and school described as important.CriticalCritical: the book challenges or disapproves of this theme.Critical: the book challenges or disapproves of this theme.
How the book presents it: Calling the story a cautionary tale and promising the family its 'just desserts' supports a reading that it criticises this unequal arrangement.
Talk about: How might the family share the household work?
Fantasy within family life
After Mrs Piggott disappears and leaves a note, the family and its surroundings begin to change in peculiar ways.Exploratory / explanatoryExploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.Exploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.
How the book presents it: The story is presented as combining fantasy and reality for humorous effect.
Talk about: Which changes seem fantastical, and what do they make you think about the family?
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Why It May Be Worth Reading
Its cautionary-tale framing invites readers to notice how much one person’s domestic work supports the rest of the family, while the unusual changes give the story a humorous, fantastical turn.
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What Deserves Attention
The mother’s sudden absence is the main disruption described. Consider whether that premise might prompt questions or feelings about who cares for a household.
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A Conversation Worth Having
What do you think the note means, and how might the family share the work that Mrs Piggott has been doing?
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Reading Approach
Read together and pause over the household tasks named in the story. Invite the child to notice how the family’s routine changes, then let them decide what they make of the pigs and the note.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
Domestic work and family roles: The precise changes in the family and the ending are not established here.
Fantasy within family life: The specific changes and their resolution are not detailed here.
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