Pig the Winner

Pig the Pug #3

by Aaron Blabey

The world's greediest pug won't play fair, and he'll do just about anything to win! Will Pig ever learn? He's an absolute cheat and quite the sore loser as well. But when Pig challenges his foot-long playmate, Trevor, to a kibble eating contest, he accidentally stuffs more than just food in his mouth. Lucky for Pig, Trevor knows what to do and saves the day!Young readers will love Blabey's irresistibly quirky illustrations that are paired with a relatable lesson about learning to play nice. For dog and pet lovers everywhere.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Dogs, Animals, Humor, Fiction, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Aaron is an Australian author of children's books and artist who until the mid-2000s was also an actor. His award winning picture books include Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon and the best-selling Pig the Pug.

In the field of acting, he is probably best known for his lead roles in two television dramedies, 1994's The Damnation of Harvey McHugh, for which he won an Australian Film Institute Award, and 2003's CrashBurn, before retiring from performance in 2005.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The obnoxious Pig the Pug and his long-suffering companion, Trevor the Dachshund, return in this third picture-book chronicling their adventures together. Once again modeling bad behavior, Pig insists on always being the winner, throwing temper tantrums when he loses and gloating when he doesn't. His competitive streak backfires however, when he turns eating into a race, and accidentally swallows his bowl...

Like its predecessors, Pig the Winner pairs an entertaining tale told in rhyme - "Pig was a pug / and I'm sorry to say, / if he didn't come first, / it would ruin his day" - with bright, colorful acrylic illustrations that capture the humor of each scene. I'm not sure why the American publisher seems to have skipped over the second Pig book, Pig the Fibber, in bringing these books over to the states from Australia, but I am glad to see another Pig the Pug adventure available. Recommended to anyone who read and enjoyed the first book about Pig, or who is looking for children's stories that address the themes of competitiveness and good sportsmanship.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a children's librarian, there are certain series or titles that I will ALWAYS open up and read just a bit when I'm shelving. Junie B. Jones, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and obviously, Pig the Pug.

This is the WORST DOG EVER and I adore him for it. He is uncouth, rude, greedy and over the top. What isn't to love?! He is outrageous, Trevor (the long suffering GOOD dog) is pitch-perfect and the illustrations just make me chuckle.

I'm planning on doing a storytime featuring just Pig books.

Thank you Aaron Blabey!!!!

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Pig the Pug and his new story is just as hilarious as the first two. I can't wait to read this to the kids at school - I have bought multiple copies because I just know that it will be a very popular library book!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron Blabey’s books bring a smile to this librarian’s face as well as to the faces of my teachers and students. Pig the pug is learning another lesson in this one and along the way will hopefully teach young readers/listeners to be good winners as well as gracious losers. Author/illustrator Blabey continues to produce such expressive faces and humorous details on every page and with every character in his Pig, Thelma and Bad Guys books. I look forward to seeing what new personalities he will create in future works.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite of all Pig the Pug stories.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE PIG THE PUG.

[Susan Liston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me laugh outloud. Don't know why. Perhaps Pig reminds me of someone? I mention no names.

[Lenin Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm surprised I wasn't kicked out of barnes and noble for laughing so hard at this book 😂😂😂😂

[Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://ciobanuldeazi.home.blog/2025/...

[Margot Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well. He still cheats. And Trevor can’t win and Pig screams he’s the winner. Good book though.

[Ina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pig the Pug is a dog that lives up to his name. He is selfish and greedy and in this book he has to win at all costs. It doesn't matter what the contest is he HAS to win. He cheats, he screams and sulks - he does anything to win...until one day, while he is trying to beat his buddy in eating his food and accident makes him rethink his need to win. The rhythmic rhyming text is great fun to read aloud and the illustrations are colorful and filled with humor. A definite story time audience pleaser.

[Sade]

I love pugs, they are the best dogs! Even if they cheat, scowl, and gnash their big jowls!

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

We all know children (and adults) who are very competitive and need to win to be happy. This book is about a pug who has to win or he throws a fit, screams and sulks. Where the book goes wrong for me is at the end. For those who care, *Spoiler Alert. * Pig, the pug, is so intent on finishing his bowl of food before his friend Trevor, that he cheats by yelling "go" before Trevor is ready. Then he is eating so fast that he swallows the bowl and begins choking. Trevor saves Pig, but the only thanks he gets is Pig yelling, "I win!" The bowl bounces back knocks Pig into the bin, which appears to be a trash container.
Ok, now according to the story, that one action-- the bin, not the choking, has now caused Pig to relax and have fun and not have to always be the winner. If that's not crazy enough, the last page shows Pig the pug cheating.

After writing this review I'm lowering my rating. I must have missed something. I don't see any redeeming value in this story, unless you just like dogs.

[Dimity Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winner!

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has good messages for young children and, again, I'm really biased because I love pugs (and I have one) if it's not already obvious.❤🐾

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My kids all loved this book. And I loved most of it. It's about a dog named Pig who is a sore loser. He cheats and if he still doesn't win he throws tantrums until you say he won and then he rubs it in your face. One day he races with eating and accidentally swallows his bowl. His friend saves his life by doing the Heimlich but Pig doesn't say thanks but just shouts I win. And that's when Karma hits- the bowl shot out and bounces off something and then hits Pig into the trash bin. It ends with "These days it's different,/ I'm happy to say./ Pig's not the winner/ each time that they play./ He plays to have fun,/ and his tantrums have ceased./ Yes, Trevor can win now!/ Well, sometimes, at least." So the ending is what I don't love. So normally I love endings like this, where it's different, but then, not quite so different. I feel a lot of Sandra Boynton books do this. And I like it. BUT the picture shows him cheating and looking caught. I feel like I would've liked it much better if the not quite perfect ending was because Pig sometimes still throws tantrums, instead of still cheats. I think it's because I have some strong feelings about cheating that I wish that had been completely solved instead of the tantrums. Anyways, if this doesn't bother you, then it's an AWESOME book.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blabey, Aaron Pig the Winner. PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic Press, 2017. $15.

Pig the Pug is obsessed with winning. He is neither a good loser, nor a good winner, instead he is a whining braggart. Trevor tries really hard to be considerate, but even eating is a full body win-at-all-costs proposition for Pig. When things go awry, maybe (?) Pig has learned a lesson?

There are certainly those kinds of kids in every classroom – kids that want to win at all costs. This is not the book to help nudge them in the right direction. Pig’s antics are mildly amusing, but its one of those books where the lesson learned is actually spoiled on the last page. If you are a fan of pugs, you might enjoy it more.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pig is not the easiest friend in the world to have. After all, Pig is rude, terribly competitive, and obsessed about winning at all costs. Whenever he and is friend Trevor play a game, he isn't interested in anything but coming in first or winning. This even translates to the way he eats, gobbling his food as fast as possible in order to finish before Trevor. He learns an important lesson as the result of his greed and isn't quite as greedy as he was before. He still likes to cheat, though. The book's text and its detailed illustrations, created with acrylic and pens and pencils, drive the book's important message about friendship and good sportsmanship home through the antics of this sometimes lovable but always determined pug. Many young readers will see themselves and their own actions in Pig's and perhaps change their ways.

[Courtney Conaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pig the Winner by Aaron Blabey is a hilarious children's book! I was a fan of Pig the Pug, but, in my opinion this one is even better! Pig the pug is at it again finding ways to irritate his friend, Trevor, the wiener dog. In this picture book, Pig is outrageously competitive. It turns into a humorous story when he challenges Trevor in who can eat the fastest. Pig gets choked on his bowl, and it's Trevor to the rescue! After this incident, Pig learns to play a little more fairly. Teachers would love to have this in their classroom! It is a great way to teach students that not everything in life is a race and to always treat one another with kindness and fairness. Pig the Winner is also great for beginner readers as the words are not too difficult, and the rhyme of the book is very engaging. I would definitely recommend this book to kids and teachers alike!

[Allison Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pig the Pug loves to win. But more importantly, he cant stand to lose. He will do whatever it takes to win at all times! Pig will always find a way to win, even if it means cheating. Often times, Pig chooses to whine and pout until he gets his way. As you might have guessed, this annoys Pig's friends. When Pig challenges his friend Trevor to see who can eat their food the fastest, Trevor tries to tell Pig that he doesn't want to, but before he can even finish what he is saying, Pig is already scarfing down his kibble. Pig eats so quickly he accidentally chokes on his dog bowl! Luckily for Pig, Trevor knew exactly what to do and was able to save him from choking. Its because of Trevor's help, Pig realizes the how wrong his actions were.


The overall theme of Pig the Winner is learning how to play fair, and being okay with losing. The reader watches as Pig cheats his way to the top all the way to Pig having the realization of his wrongdoing.

I enjoyed reading this book because the colors and illustrations brought me back to elementary school. As I read the book I found myself wondering, "Why do Pigs friends play games with him if he always acts this way?". As I finished the book, I thought that it was heartwarming that his friends stuck around to help him learn to be better instead of just not playing with him all together.


I would recommend this book for young children because it is a good example of what it looks like to be a sore loser. Most kids go through a period where they don't like to lose and may even cheat in games. This book provides a good lesson that children should learn early on. As children go to school, they are around more and more kids their age so it is important for them to learn how to play fairly. Though this book is not an accurate representation of what can happen if you don't play fair, is the message of the book that really makes this book important for young readers.

[Jacelyn Neuleib · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Pig the Winner," Pig the pug learns a lesson about being a gracious winner and loser. Aaron Blabey sets up this story by explaining all of the ways in which Pig is a bad winner. He gloats, he celebrates too much, and he demands that a game is not fun unless he has won. This story is a little bit different than the other Pig the Pug books in that Pig learns his lesson about winning and losing a little less obviously than usual. The resolution begins with Pig and Trevor having an eating contest in which Pig is extremely overzealous, so much so that he begins to choke. Not only does Pig choke on his own food bowl, but he is then knocked into the bin by his food bowl after Trevor gives him the heimlich. The story concludes with Pig being a more gracious winner and loser, but not all of the time.

[Nick Harriger · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Pig the Pug's third book Pig is off to his rambunctious ways once again. Pig has to be the winner, and he'll make sure that happens. Whether it's cheating, or throwing a fit Pig finds a way. In the end Trevor saves him and he's not fazed. Getting hit into the bin changes his mind and now Pig lets Trevor win every once in a while..


Is winning the most important thing to you? Write in your journal a time when you played a game and were the winner. Was it important not to brag? Explain what it felt like to win, and your feelings after.

Blabey, A. (2017). Pig the winner. New York: Scholastic Press

[Dan Hyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this whole series about Pig the pug are hilarious. My twin girls in kindergarten enjoy them, but not nearly as much as I do. Good illustrations and a plot line that kids and adults will enjoy.

Some of them have language that some parents might find a little offensive, particularly the book "Pig the stinker," or in Pig the Elf where he bites Santa in the behind. Pig is pretty self-centered, but the reader learns that the ways that Pig does things aren't the best. (Pig the reprobate doesn't learn.)

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pig the Winner came in the mail before the Scholastic book fair as a preview. I had the students vote for which book they would like me to read from the box and Pig won hands down. This last week I read it over 10 times to classes between k-4th grade. It's funny. It's a very funny book. I think Blabey must have good timing - the pages were set up just right to make the kids laugh out loud. The only thing that might make this book better would be a short Youtube video of a pug having a tantrum.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pig the Pug is at it again! This time he just has to win! We all know a kid like this--one who throws tantrums when he or she doesn't win--and your students do too. In the end, Pig learns his lesson, well...mostly.

The illustrations are bright, silly and engaging. They compliment the text well.

Audience: EC-3
Connections: winning and losing, being a good sport, gluttony, rhyming, self-regulation, Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series. All the Pig the Pug books are great and my son laughs all the time because of them. In this book, Pig is the winner and no one better tell him otherwise. Poor Trevor, the wiener dog, never gets a break and must go along with Pig as the winner or Pig will go into a pink fit! Although Pig cheats, he still says he won, but I wonder if his mind can be changed? Have fun reading!

[Alex Bergland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pig the Pug is back with it's second installment! This one perhaps better than the previous.

It's lyrical writing and funny illustrations (my personal fav - pig dressed up in tennis gear thwacking the ball) are sure to make this book loved by many a child. Plus, you might even pair this book with a discussion about "sore losers" and cheating and the benefits of doing something just for the enjoyment instead of for the win all the time.

[Keri Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a great addition to a school library in the "developing character." Pig the Pug must win at everything (even by cheating) or he pitches a giant fit. He eventually learns that winning isn't everything, although how he learns this lesson wasn't developed very well. Kids will love and teachers will use to help show kids how to win (or not) with some semblance of grace.

[Reanna Holycross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story because there is a great moral of the story for kids to learn! Pig the Pug reminds me of someone we all know and the importance of being honest and humble is highlighted. The characters are drawn quite funny and they have very strong facial expressions, which makes reading the story very enjoyable.

[April Abtey-Pettigrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grand daughter really enjoyed reading this book to/with me as we live in different states and read together. She really wants a dog and reading about Pig the Pug just gave her a little bit of joy, even though he is rather selfish when it comes to playing/winning. She was excited to see that there were other books in the series that she would be able to get as well to continue his story.