Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Last updated
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
MRS PIGGLE WIGGLE.jpg
First edition of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

  • Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
  • Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic
  • Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm
  • Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
  • Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Author
  • Betty MacDonald
  • Anne MacDonald Canham (Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle)
Illustrator
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Children's
Publisher HarperCollins
Published
  • 1947–1957
  • 2007
Media typePrint
No. of books5
Followed by Missy Piggle-Wiggle

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a series of children's books written by Betty MacDonald. The first book is Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, published in 1947; three sequels by MacDonald are Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm, and Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1949 to 1957). Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (2007) was completed by her daughter Anne MacDonald Canham based on "notes for other stories among her mother's possessions". [1]

Contents

A spinoff series by Ann M. Martin and McDonald's great-granddaughter Annie Parnell starting in 2016 featured Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's great-niece, Missy Piggle-Wiggle.

Synopsis

The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series is about a small woman who lives in an upside-down house in a lively neighborhood inhabited mainly by children who have bad habits.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has a chest full of magical cures left to her by her deceased husband, Mr. Piggle-Wiggle, who was a pirate. In the first two books of the series, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1947) and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic (1949), Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle provides parents with cures for their children's bad habits. Cures range from the mundane (the "Won't-Pick-Up-Toys Cure", allowing a small boy to continue leaving his toys scattered about his room until the room becomes so cluttered that he is unable to escape) to the fantastic (the "Interrupting Cure", a special powder that is blown on the interrupter, which causes the person to become temporarily mute every time they try to interrupt someone).

In the series' third book, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm (1954), Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle sells her house in town and buys a farm, where with the assistance of a large assortment of animals she continues to help children overcome their bad habits. In this collection, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle uses no magic for her cures; the farm itself does the most good. In the fourth book, Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1957) she has apparently returned to her original neighborhood and to her magical cures. No mention of the farm is made for the rest of the series.

The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories were based on bedtime stories MacDonald made up for her daughters, nephews, and nieces (and later grandchildren and grandnephews/-nieces). Some of the 151 children have the same names as members of the original audience (for example, there is a pair of brothers called Darsie and Bard). This explains some of the inconsistencies, such as Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle being either a good witch/fairy or just someone who understands child psychology better than most professors of the subject.

The final book in the series, Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (2007), was published sixty years after the original, and is largely written by MacDonald's daughter, Anne MacDonald Canham (the two share a writing credit for this book). The first story in the book is an unpublished MacDonald story, while Anne explains in the book that the remaining stories are based on "notes for other stories among her mother's possessions."

The first editions of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic were illustrated by Richard Bennett and Kurt Wiese respectively. Subsequent editions of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic, and Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle were illustrated by Hilary Knight. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm was illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was illustrated by Alexandra Boiger.

Stories

Chapter TitleMain Character(s)Problem/MisbehaviorCure EmployedOther Children Introduced
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, HerselfMary Lou Robertson, Kitty WheelingHates washing dishes (Mary Lou), hates making beds (Kitty)Makes both tasks a fun game and a raceBobby Wheeling, Dicky Williams, Max
The Won't-Pick-Up-Toys CureHubert PrentissWill not pick up his toysLeft alone with his toys until he is unable to leave his room when Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle leads a parade past his houseCharlie, Billy Peters, Tommy Peters, Ermintrude Bags, Gregory Moohead, Susan Grapple
The Answer-Backer CureMolly O'Toole (mostly called Mary in this book, renamed Molly subsequently)ImpudencePenelope the parrot is equally rude, giving her a taste of her own medicineCalliope Ragbag, Chuckie Keystop, Garry Garrison
The Selfishness CureDick ThompsonRefuses to share anythingA "selfishness kit" labels everything as Dick's property, causing him embarrassment when other children ridicule himBobby Slater, Kenny Hatch
The Radish CurePatsy WatersWill not take bathsLeft unbathed so she is caked with dirt, then radishes are planted on herPrunella Brown, Paraphernalia Grotto, Cormorant Broomrack
The Never-Want-To-Go-To-Bedders CureBobby Gray, Larry Gray, Susan GrayDoes not want to go to bedAllowed to stay up late until they are so tired they cannot function during the day, missing activities such as birthday partiesCatherine Grassfeather, Wilfred Grassfeather, Worthington Gardenfield, Guinevere Gardenfield
The Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker CureAllenSlow eaterServed meals on progressively smaller dishes until he lacks energy to functionWetherill Crankminor, Pergola Wingsproggle
The Fighter-Quarrelers CureAnne Russell, Joan RussellBickeringParents mimic the fighting of the children, demonstrating how unpleasant it is to those around themJasper Quitrick, Myrtle Quitrick
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic------Marilyn Matson, Johnny Wilfred, Julie Ward, Johnny Green
The Thought-You-Saiders CureDarsie Burbank, Alison Burbank, Bard BurbankDeliberately misinterpreting others as a jokeSmall powder makes hearing super-sensitive when sprinkled in the ear (example; makes turning on a light switch sound like a gunshot or a water faucet like Niagara Falls)Terry Teagle, Theresa Teagle
The Tattletale CureWendy Hamilton, Timmy HamiltonTattlingPills convert tattletales into puffs of smoke with tailsMarty Phillips
The Bad-Table-Manners CureChristopher BrownBad table mannersLester the pig demonstrates beautiful table mannersPercy Penzil, Pamela Penzil, Potter Penzil
The InterruptersBenji Franklin, Sally Franklin, Stevie FranklinInterruptingInterrupter Powder takes away the voice of someone who interrupts--
The Heedless BreakerSharon RogersCarelessness and clumsinessPowder slows down bodily movement--
The Never-Want-To-Go-To-SchoolerJody JonesTruancyIgnorance Tonic induces stupidity, causing him to desire knowledgeJan Jones, Julie Jones, Linda Jones, Armand Armadillo
The Waddle-I-DoersLee Wharton, Mimi WhartonBoredomA treasure hunt--; this story includes most of the children from the first two books
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm
The Not Truthful CureFetlock HarrowayLyingMrs. Piggle-Wiggle's animals ensure that there is no need to lie in order to impressWembley Rustad, Winifred Feathering, Williver Mallett
The Pet Forgetter CureRebecca RolfeForgets to take care of petsMrs. Piggle-Wiggle "forgets" to feed her and locks her out of the farmhouse, so she knows how it feelsCedric Bent-Smith, Eunice Hendricks
The Destructiveness CureJeffie PhillipsTakes things apart and cannot reassemble themEverything he takes apart brings him more work, prompting him to learn how to fix thingsBilly Robinson, Donnie Harpoon, Wickie Rockstall, Electra Rockstall
The Fraidy-Cat CurePhoebe JackstrawIrrational fearAn emergency helps her overcome her fear and find inner strengthJeremy Jackstraw, Chuckie Jackstraw, Georgie Jackstraw, Imogene Haversack, Shirley Melancholy, Kathy Melancholy
The Can't Find It CureMorton HeatherwickEasily distractedShamed into focusing when his help is neededEnterprise Beecham
Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
The Show-Off CurePhillip CarmodyShowing offShow-off Powder makes him invisible when showing offConnie Carmody, Bobby Westover, Billy Markle
The Crybaby CureMelody FoxgloveExcessive cryingCrybaby Tonic makes her unable to stop her tears when cryingCornell Foxglove, Harvard Foxglove, Emmy Foxglove, Trent Popsickle, Tansy Popsickle, Betsy Wilt
The BullyNicholas SemicolonCruelty to younger children and animalsLeadership Pills bring out leadership qualities (Bullybaths, which weaken the bather so they can be pushed around, are rejected in favor of the pills)Roscoe Eager, Billy MacIntosh, Sylvia Crouch, Jimmy Gopher, Priscilla Wick, the Adams twins
The WhispererEvelyn Rover, Mary Crackle, Cornelia WhitehouseGossipy whisperingWhisper Stick, a stick of magical candy, takes away the voiceKaren Elroyd, Bobby Crackle, Billy Crackle, Corinthian Bop
The SlowpokeHarbin QuadrangleDaydreamingSpecial spray makes him extremely alert and focusedSylvia Quadrangle, Janey Quadrangle, Annabell, Mona, Kathy, Georgie Wilcox
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
The Just-One-More-TV-Show CureKitten Hanover, Sean HanoverTelevision addictionAversion technique; forcing them to watch until they resist itRobin Waxbean, Lark Waxbean, Honor Hatchet, Honesty Hatchet, Henry Fence, Billy Ragweed
The Won't-Brush-Teeth CureBetsy ApplebeeBrushing her teeth is unimportantWag the dog demonstrates proper tooth brushingEllen, Rose Thorngate, Jasmine Thorngate, Jervil Thorngate Jr.
The Insult CureBlake BransonCruelty to othersInsults written on paper glow blindingly in the dark of his bedroomPercival Goodwin, Prissy Goodwin, Candace Goodwin
The Picky-Eater CureWill PembertonPicky eatingCrystals transform any food into white noodles; the effect being that he will want to try other thingsAriel Wingstaff, Finch Wingstaff
The Afraid-to-Try CureJonathan CampbellOverly cautiousRescuing Lightfoot the cat from a tree helps him overcome his timidityGeorge O'Connor, Timmy O'Connor, Ricky Timbers, Woody Timbers
The Messy Stuff-and-Cram CureKaty McCloudMessinessInvisible paint around her room prevents her from moving until every area is neatPrunella Peasley, Quinton Peasley
The Never-Finish CureJanie BeaumontInability to complete one task before moving on to anotherPowder makes her unable to move to another task until she finishes the current oneChristie Anne McClanahan, Carrie Philpot, Larry Philpot
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Birthday Party------Matt McGregor, Kevin McGregor; this story also includes children from all five books

In other media

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References