POPPLETON: Book One, by Cynthia Rylant

Quick Facts:
- Illustrated by Mark Teague
- 3 stories: "Neighbors", "The Library", "The Pill"
- 53 pages

Poppleton, by Cynthia Rylant, is one of those books that was both less and more than I expected. Which is to say that it was a complete surprise, and a very pleasant one.

I've read some of Cynthia Rylant's work before, most notably The Old Woman Who Named Things, and so upon beginning Poppleton I was anticipating the lyrical, contemplative and sometimes almost melancholy prose I've experienced in her work. I could not have been further off if I tried.

The back cover of Poppleton states that, "The Poppleton books are an excellent way to help children learn to read," and the reason for this is evident in the very first lines of the story, "Neighbors":

"Poppleton used to be a city pig.
He did city things.
He took taxis.
He jogged in the park.
He went to museums."
- Poppleton, page 9

Like Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Poppleton uses very simple and basic vocabulary and grammatical structures that are easy for young readers to follow both orally and as they begin to read on their own. When I first realized this, I felt some trepidation, worried that perhaps the simplification of the prose would result in a simplification of the storytelling. I was not giving Rylant, or illustrator Mark Teague, nearly enough credit.

Poppleton is not one of the cookie-cutter characters that so often populate books aimed at teaching children to read. Rather, he is familiar in a far better way. Poppleton calls to mind Arnold Lobel's The Adventures of Frog and Toad, in that he is a character with a distinct point of view and unique perspective that explores basic, universal themes like friendship and individuality. Poppleton's appeal is the result not only of Rylant's deliberate characterization, but also of Teague's familiar and yet entertaining artwork.

Take, for example, the following two pages of dialogue:

"Then one day Poppleton
got tired of city life.
He moved to a small house
in a small town.

Poppleton's small house
was charming.
It had a little sunroom
where Poppleton took naps."
Poppleton, page 10-11

The idea of a pig named Poppleton is amusing enough already, and the alliteration of the "p" sound is sure to appeal to young listeners. However, the name Poppleton does even more within this text to characterize the pig: it dominates. Poppleton is by far the longest word used, and thus stands out in the text, particularly when read aloud, in a way that a name like "Jack" just wouldn't. It makes Poppleton sound not only a little funny, but a bit out of place and bumbling. Too, everything surrounding Poppleton is described as small: his house, his town, and his sunroom. Everything is charming, but small, and though Rylant does not say that these things are smaller than Poppleton, the image that forms is of a pig a bit out of place, a bit too big for his surroundings.

The effect of this, of course, could have been compromised had not Teague picked up on it when doing his illustrations. Fortunately, Teague's pictures of Poppleton reflect Rylant's characterization. As drawn by Teague, Poppleton is a tidy, almost fastidious pig calling to mind the stereotype of the portly English gentleman, and yet he is always a bit overlarge for his surroundings. Note in the illustration below the way in which Poppleton's sunroom is bright, and clean, and carefully maintained. Even the decision to have Poppleton resting on a chaise lounge rather than a sofa contributes to the characterization of Poppleton as a pig with a distinct point of view. And yet, Poppleton looks large next to all of his surroundings. He fits, but only just.

Poppleton's stories are familiar tales of dealing with friends and pursuing individual interests, and that gives them a universal applicability and appeal. However, Poppleton's own unique perspective makes the stories unique, and leaves even the reader familiar with similar stories wondering, "But what will Poppleton do?"

Poppleton is more than an "excellent way to help children learn to read." He's a character they are likely to carry with them into adulthood and call to mind (even if they don't realize why!) when they encounter in other stories a portly English gentleman.