This 1999 Scholastic publication of of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Won't-Take-a-Bath Cure by Betty MacDonald is adapted from the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Books. The obvious silliness at the beginning of the story sets the stage for Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s won't-take-a-bath-cure. It’s a cartoonish absurdity that allows readers to laugh at the pranks Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s cat, Lightfoot, plays on her dog Wag. We need to imagine Wag surprised but unhurt so that we can imagine Patsy Brown surprised but unhurt by the prank adults play on her. And Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a friendly, local celebrity who would never hand out harmful advice. When she proposes the Radish Cure we can expect a humorous lesson awaits.
Patsy Brown's anxious parents patiently
wait for her to learn a lesson about filth. One morning she yells, “’ I won't
ever take a bath! I hate baths! I HATE BATHS.’” And she doesn’t take a bath—for
weeks. The dirt that collects on her face and in her hair has social
consequences, but Patsy doesn’t seem to mind. Finally, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s
prank sends Patsy running into the shower.
I used to have a Picture Book Talk for this story, but then I decided I didn't like how the lesson of the story seemed at the expense of the child.
