Not a Stick

Not a Stick, by Antoinette Portis, is a book that readers of all ages can appreciate. Full of imagination, the sky is the limit as readers witness an adorable pig turn something as ordinary as a stick into something extraordinary. After all, it is 'not a stick'!

The book opens with the little pig carrying a stick and being told to be careful with it. However, the little pig insists that it is not a stick. Rather, as the reader discovers turning the page, what was originally the stick is now a fishing pole and the little pig is fishing for a great big shark. Again, the reader will see the pig with the stick, and the little pig will be told to be careful while running with it. However, it turns out that the little pig is using the stick as an instrument in a marching band. Thus, the stick is not a stick. From a paintbrush to a horse rein, the possibilities are endless!

Charming, creative, and most of all, highly imaginative, Not a Stick is an original work. The book is an excellent story to read aloud for beginner readers, and children will have fun guessing just what the 'not stick' will turn into next. Still, readers of any age will find the book amusing and appreciate the imaginative experience.