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3rd out of 21 books
—
15 voters
Higglety Pigglety Pop!: Or There Must Be More to Life
'A daring imagination has woven a simple rhyme into a brilliantly original tale [about Jennie, the Sealyham terrier, who seeks Experience and becomes the star of the World Mother Goose Theatre].' 'H. 'Superb fantasy.' 'BL. Notable Children's Books of 1967 (ALA)1968 Fanfare Honor List (H)Best Books of 1967 (SLJ)Children's Books of 1967 (Library of Congress)
Hardcover, 80 pages
Published
May 22nd 2001
by HarperCollins
(first published January 1st 1967)
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This is one of the most special books of my childhood, and admittedly an unusual one. This is a somewhat dark book for a child - really, it's not meant for children. It's about a dissatisfaction with the norm and with perfection, and the (often futile) quest to find "experience" and "something more." It's not a book with a heartwarming lesson, and it's actually quite surreal. Sendak wrote it to deal with the death of his beloved dog Jennie. I love this book dearly and recommend it to anyone goin...more
Aah, Sendak, writer and illustrator of 'difficult' children's picture books.
I was instantly hooked by the idea of Jennie the Sealyham Terrier (there turns out to have been a real Jennie the Sealyham to whose memory the book is dedicated) and Sendak captures her with aching beauty. Although it is an anthropomorphic tale, there is a very solid sense of dog.
It is difficult to know what to make of the story, as so often with Sendak. Jennie is dissatisfied with her 'perfect' life and leaves home sayi...more
I was instantly hooked by the idea of Jennie the Sealyham Terrier (there turns out to have been a real Jennie the Sealyham to whose memory the book is dedicated) and Sendak captures her with aching beauty. Although it is an anthropomorphic tale, there is a very solid sense of dog.
It is difficult to know what to make of the story, as so often with Sendak. Jennie is dissatisfied with her 'perfect' life and leaves home sayi...more
I must have read this book every night before bedtime for years and years of my childhood. There's just something so creepy and fascinating about it -- I think it's impossible to put your finger on it, but I remember being drawn to it even when there were plenty of new books to tackle. The illustration is particularly chilling. If it seems a little odd (or completely bizarre) when you first check it out, give it another chance. Sendak is a genius.
Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More To Life is one of Maurice Sendak’s lesser known books. Sendak is of course famous for the children’s classic Where The Wild Things Are. This work is considerably longer than Where the Wild Things Are and is divided into chapters. Higglety Pigglety Pop! is similar to Sendak’s other work in its distinctive style of illustration. It also explores the features of the English language through a wide variety of descriptive elements that paint a picture alm...more
Don’t be expecting ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ because this is wilder and far more quirky. If you are only familiar with the illustrative style Sendak uses in ‘Wild Things’ or ‘Night Kitchen,’ this will serve as a good introduction to a darker and more intricate Sendak, steeped in Doré and Dürer.
Jennie, a terrier who seems to pop up in other Sendak books, packs her black leather bag with gold buckles and is off on a mission to answer the question implicit in ‘Higglety’s’ subtitle. The answer is...more
Jennie, a terrier who seems to pop up in other Sendak books, packs her black leather bag with gold buckles and is off on a mission to answer the question implicit in ‘Higglety’s’ subtitle. The answer is...more
Sendak once again creates a children's book with very adult themes. Dissatisfaction with your life, clinging to the dream and possibility of what you could be, and what it really means to have everything. The story itself is about a terrier who has seemingly has everything but wants more. In particular, Jennie wants to be the leading lady in The World Mother Goose Theater. The book is rich and densely layered with the themes. The illustrations are intricate black and white drawings. It appears t...more
This was one of my favorite books as a child and has remained so in my adult years. It is the longest of Sendak's works, perhaps because it covers so many themes: the meaninglessness of materialism, dissatisfaction with one's lifestyle, the value of unusual experiences, the cunning necessary to survive, the true "having it all."
5/8/12 - I reread it today, after learning Sendak had died. Jennie is based on Sendak's own dog, Jennie, and the book was written as her memorial. Even as a child, I rea...more
5/8/12 - I reread it today, after learning Sendak had died. Jennie is based on Sendak's own dog, Jennie, and the book was written as her memorial. Even as a child, I rea...more
Jun 20, 2007
Wendolyn Aragon
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
pet owners, anyone in need of inspiration
It's true . . . when beloved pets move on, they don't really die. They join theatre troops and lead a life less ordinary. And don't you dare try to tell me different!
"There must be more to life than having everything!"
This book was recommended to me very recently by a friend who loves Maurice Sendak with all of his heart. So, I definitely expected something lovely, but was surprised by just how much this story endeared and moved me.
This book is:
-delightful
-wisely written
-frothing at the brim with whimsy
-beautifully illustrated (I MEAN, COME ON! IT'S SENDAK!)
-full of good lessons
Also, there is a narration by Tammy Grimes that truly is remarkable. Her...more
This book was recommended to me very recently by a friend who loves Maurice Sendak with all of his heart. So, I definitely expected something lovely, but was surprised by just how much this story endeared and moved me.
This book is:
-delightful
-wisely written
-frothing at the brim with whimsy
-beautifully illustrated (I MEAN, COME ON! IT'S SENDAK!)
-full of good lessons
Also, there is a narration by Tammy Grimes that truly is remarkable. Her...more
sendak called this his best work on an episode of *the colbert report* they aired shortly after the author died . . had to read it just for that reason . . it's "for kids," but my experience is that esp. earlier kids books are just as relevant to adults as well . . as for this one, i'm *sure* there's something more going on with the story--it's "meaning" etc.--but i'm not completely sure what it's supposed to be .. may have to think on it a bit more . . do some wikipediaing . . anyway, it was en...more
Jan 21, 2011
Megan
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens-books,
shelf-reading-find
Miss Jennie, a dog were are told who, "has everything", leaves her master in search for something more. When her path crosses with that of a pig offering free sandwhiches, while also searching for the lead actress of a play, Miss Jennie is off in search of more food and experience for the role she hopes to have. A smart and clever chain of events leads to Miss Jennie finding more than she expected out of life. Sendak's black and white illustrations are detailed, so be sure to pay close attention...more
This was my favorite book when I was little; I still remember it with incredible fondness, although it's been 10+ years since I last read it. The illustrations lend this books a dark and occasionally foreboding feel, which the plot extrapolates though its recurring theme of longing and dissatisfaction; Jennie, the dog who has everything, is no longer satisfied with her cosseted existence and leaves home to search the wide world for life's true meaning. This book, though disguised as a children's...more
I found this book at a used book store. Many may be familiar with the author Maurice Sendak who also wrote “Where the Wild Things Are,” but this is not the same kind of book in many ways. From the lines of Mother Goose, Mr. Sendak elaborates a modern tale of multiple themes. Its comic surface is the tale of Jennie the Sealyham terrier, who packs her black leather bag with the gold buckles and goes out into the world to look for something more than everything. Besides the story, it is also the ma...more
This is the first (and the last, don't fret) book that I've never returned to the library. But I was a careless little kid then, so you can't blame me for it.
Anyway. Higglety Pigglety Pop is basically a kids' book. Where dogs talk to plants, cats drive milk wagons, lions eat nurses (wait, that could happen in real life...), and they all would... wait. I can't write the ending, right? Point is, they do things that only animals in fables do.
The moral of the story, however, in my opinion, is unlik...more
Anyway. Higglety Pigglety Pop is basically a kids' book. Where dogs talk to plants, cats drive milk wagons, lions eat nurses (wait, that could happen in real life...), and they all would... wait. I can't write the ending, right? Point is, they do things that only animals in fables do.
The moral of the story, however, in my opinion, is unlik...more
Road trip in the form of a children's book. I was just thinking about how the best books are the ones that are deceptively simple but actually quite suitable for adults and children! Meaning this is the perfect book imho! Quite perfect. I hate the books that lecture you about how you return back to your former boring life because you never needed to actually leave blah blah. I know it's true but sometimes, it's nice to arrive at a new place and stay there doing something fantastically new.
I just do not understand why people like this book so much. Personally I have to question a story that seems to praise a character for abandoning their loving family. Not to mention the fact that this dog Jennie is a total jerk. I mean, she not only eats a plant for giving her some advice, but she also takes advantage of a cat that was kind enough to give her a ride by eating all of his deliveries! What the hell!
Wow! I never believed that I could find this book here. Higglety Pigglety Pop! really is one the best tale that any kid may read.
When I read this tale I learned that all our purposes may be achieved, if we hard work for them. Really, I never forget the phrase: "Higglet Pigglety Pop!: Or There Must Be More to Life... neither to Jennie the protagonist dog.
When I read this tale I learned that all our purposes may be achieved, if we hard work for them. Really, I never forget the phrase: "Higglet Pigglety Pop!: Or There Must Be More to Life... neither to Jennie the protagonist dog.
"This was my favorite book when I was little; I still remember it with incredible fondness, although it's been 10+ years since I last read it." - Rachel, Customer Services Associate
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An emotional tale about leaving the past (in the most literal sense possible) and longing for more. Imaginative and beautifully illustrated, the book also features one of the most famous rhymes for many childhood's. Great for people of all ages, and a wonderful story that teaches children about pain, contentment, and discovering there is more to life.
I loved this as child. Purely magical. I found my dusty copy recently and haven't read in 40+ years. Reading the book was just as fantastic and beautifully mysterious experience as I remembered - and even more so. Now that Book and I are reunited I will be carrying it with me until I get my own part in the "World Mother Goose Theatre".
This was by far the weirdest 'chapter book' I've ever read. The illustrations are quite nice. I'm not sure if this is fantasy or animal fiction... and the moral is hidden somewhere in here. I wasn't surprised to find a lion. The only thing this book was missing that is typical of Maurice Sendak is a little boy!
Lovely story about a terrier that leaves his loving master & comfortable home, for what he doesn't know, yet.
He wants to join the theater but has no experience, so we follow a short tale of his search for experience & what he manifests through his imagination & confidence.
Good illustrations!
He wants to join the theater but has no experience, so we follow a short tale of his search for experience & what he manifests through his imagination & confidence.
Good illustrations!
Saw an interview on TV last night where Sendak said he thought this was his best book, so I decided to reread it there and then. Still inventive, still delightful, still beautifully illustrated, and well worth a read!
i LOVED this strange quirky book as a little kid in the early 70's... the whole thing is very surreal, actually quite dream-like.
have'nt thought of this in literally decades! now i want to find a copy to re-read...
have'nt thought of this in literally decades! now i want to find a copy to re-read...
Oh, I really liked this book! I loved the dog, but have to say, was a bit sad he didn't end up back home with his owner... just goes to show, having everything isn't all it's cracked up to be. Even if you have two windows.
nothing like any other children's book.
very surreal, very subtly smart.
silly enough to be for kids, but weird enough for sort-of grown-ups, like me, to enjoy as what i would call a work of art.
very surreal, very subtly smart.
silly enough to be for kids, but weird enough for sort-of grown-ups, like me, to enjoy as what i would call a work of art.
A book that explains the story of Jennie, a dog who has everything and isn't satisfied. She runs away from home to find out what she's missing and has numerous adventures along the way. The expected ending of learning to love what you have is not what actually happens, which surprised me greatly.
Sendak said this was one of his favorites, he wrote it about his favorite dog when she was getting towards the end of her life. Lovely story and great pictures.
This was one of my favorite books as a child and it remains so -- I read it so many times and I actually managed to read it to pieces. Poor overloved book!
Now that other reviewers bring it up, it IS a very dark book, and not overly happy, but it is still one of my favorite book ever. (:
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Maurice Bernard Sendak is an American writer and illustrator of children's literature who is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963. An elementary school (from kindergarten to grade five) in North Hollywood, California is named in his honor.
Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, and decided to become an illustrator after viewing Wal...more
More about Maurice Sendak...
Sendak was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, and decided to become an illustrator after viewing Wal...more
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Nov 04, 2012 01:09pm