I came late to the Pearls before Swine game - I was a series of blogger friends that introduced me to the strip. But the image of a Pig, talking about BLT tasting so good.... well, it hooked me.
(Even made me father laugh out loud. He especially loved some of the strips I shared of the Crocs attempt to eat Zebra....)
This collection sort of falls somewhere between a short collection and a larger collection. The page count is high, but it is like one strip per page. But what strips they are!!! 9781449436360 What happens when animals like crocodiles, zebras, and pigs are forced to live suburban lives?
Well, the crocodiles will not stop wanting to eat the zebras.
The rat will get cynical and depressed.
And when the lions move in, all havoc will break loose.
Pastis has been publishing the “Pearls Before Swine” comic strip for nearly fifteen years, and this collection focuses primarily on the crocodile characters. Most of the crocodiles are dimwitted and obsessed with hunting their prey. The younger generations of crocodiles are more savvy to modern life - occasionally even fraternizing with zebras!
Pastis is also known for his kids series, “Mistakes Were Made,” which follows the hybrid model popularized by “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” Now, fans of that series are finding his other work, giving “Pearls Before Swine” a new audience.
He illustrates the “Pearls Before Swine” universe in a traditional newspaper strip style which will feel familiar to fans of “Garfield” and “Peanuts.” Although this is a selected collection, the plotlines are easy to follow and the characterizations of various animals are fresh and amusing. This volume is especially recommended for libraries with fans for Pastis’ other work or similar newspaper-strip-based collections. 9781449436360 The 2nd collection of Pearls Before Swine adapted for kids.
Ok, this collection is much better suited for a younger audience than Beginning Pearls was. There's less of the disparaging talk from Rat. There's a lot of predator/prey humor going on between the crocs and zebra, but considering how incompetent the crocs are, it comes off as funny rather than dark. And Pig gets some cute/funny moments, especially as his brain runs away. Start middle graders with this one rather than Beginning Pearls.
Notes on content: No language issues (just a teensy bit of name calling from Rat). No sexual content. Occasionally incompetent crocs become the victims of their own plans, but they show up again later so their death doesn't seem very real or permanent.
9781449436360 This book is so funny. This book is how I got into Pearls Before Swine. This book is so funny that sometimes I can't avoid just laughing my head off. (Oops, sorry, gotta put my head back on. :P) My favourite character was probably... Larry the crocodile. See if you can figure out why. 9781449436360 This was my first Pearls before Swine comic experience, and I’ve already requested more books! I love Pig and Crocodile! The other animal characters are great too, but Pig and Crocodile are my faves!!
Simple enough that older kids would love the humor, and gave this adult the giggles too! Easy to pick up and put down because each comic strip is a page or two at most. But there is an overall plot if you follow different characters! 9781449436360
The Pearls Before Swine crew is back in their second collection of cartoons for the middle-grade crowd!
Always witty and clever, and sometimes irreverent, Pearls Before Swine's sarcastic take on life appeals to fans of all ages. In this second collection of cartoons specially chosen for young readers, the troupe of characters is back to entertain with dark humor and off-the-wall puns. Know-it-all Rat is always at the center of the action, accompanied by slow-witted Pig who is innocently oblivious to most of Rat's jabs. Rounded out with high-browed Goat, the mild and vulnerable Zebra, and the hilariously inept Crocs, the cast is ready to provide hours of reading fun. The Croc Ate My Homework: A Pearls Before Swine Collection
This was a great collection of comics. Each of the different animals have distinct and hilarious personalities, but two things they have in common are their propensity to do and say stupid things and their fundamental misunderstandings of each other. All of the animals, from the crocodiles to the mouse to the pig are all lovable idiots and perpetual failures, which makes them a joy to read about. There are a couple plot arcs that have a melancholy quality to them at odds with the cute pictures, and the juxtaposition creates an interesting effect. There is a lot of genuine heart put into these cute little comics that make them well worth reading for any adult with a sense of humor.
Further recommendation-
Another comic strip that utilizes this same concept with more dark humor and sardonic tone can be read for free at: www.crimesagainsthughsmanatees.tumblr... 9781449436360 Some funny stuff but overall meh. Lots of insensitive humor. 9781449436360 My son is reading me this book and it is a lot of fun. :) 9781449436360 Would have been three stars except for a racist cartoon about Chinese food. 9781449436360 Reread - I find it interesting that I rated this so low - I just bumped it up a star. I reread this to see if I wanted to keep it or not and found quite a bit of it amusing. I'd probably give it a 3.5 to a 4.
I have to be honest. I was disappointed with this. I really didn't find it as funny as I expected. There were some good moments, but overall I just didn't quite get it. I have read some Pearls Before Swine comics before but this collection just didn't do it for me. 9781449436360
