Pigaroons

Author/illustrator Geisert's very imaginative story about two groups of feuding pigs is a triumph of illustration and imaginative myth-making. Two tribes of pigs, the River Patrollers and the slightly unsavory Pigaroons ("descendents of Spanish pirates" maintain an uneasy peace on opposite sides of a large river. Some vestiges of the Pigaroons' pirate past remain, because they persist in stealing from the Patrollers. Just before the annual winter fete and ice sculpture contest, the `Roons cross the frozen river and steal the Patrollers' only block of ice large enough to for an ice statue. The "good" pigs are left with nearly nothing, while the ice-rich thieves build an enormous statue of Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto. In one of Geisert's superb etchings, he shows dozens of pig pirates readying lowering the stolen ice block. Echoes of the Pigaroonian pirate past are seen not only in ship remains (somehow the hulls have eroded), but in shapes that cleverly suggest ships: There are small hills resembling the elevated rear deck of a galleon, and triangles in the scaffolding that evoke images of sails and rigging. The Patrollers have had enough, however: "One patriarch declared, `No more! They've stolen enough stuff from us!' A plan was made." Using a keen knowledge of physics, especially thermodynamics, the Patrollers cut their remaining ice into a thin translucent disc, board a balloon propelled flying ship, and avenge their tribe by melting de Soto from on high. The etched illustrations are a wonder. Unfortunately, Geisert doesn't draw the pigs with as much detail or affection as the landscapes. He etches the pigs with similar small shapes and little or no facial _expressions, and this decreases our identification and empathy towards them. As a result, it's difficult to feel very sorry for the Patrollers, and their melting of the Pigaroons' statue seems almost mean-spirited as a result. We find ourselves almost rooting for the thieving Pigaroons because they at least exhibit some flair and dash. Finally, except for one ice statue of a pig, Geisert eschews the opportunity for visual puns and references to pigs, which might have added to the sneaky theme of the book. Still, the story is very well written, told in a faux-historical tone (tongue in pig's cheek) that has more than a ring of truth. And, except for the problems mentioned above, Geisert `s illustrations are uniquely beautiful. His masterful use of color, shadow, and low light etched turn the bleakish gray icescape into an almost luminous setting, full of clouded light and meticulously line-drawn shadows. The compositions are especially compelling, almost cinematic, with their low horizons, and picture of pigs struggling mightily in the realistically drawn icescape. Geisert's realization of a pig community with a seafaring, pirating past makes this is one of the most imaginatively drawn books of the year.