Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was published in 1947. It was Betty MacDonald’s first novel for children; she had previously focused on comedic memoir. MacDonald had two children, Anne and Joan, and lived for many years in a small island community outside of Seattle where she interacted with neighbors’ children, as well as her own, frequently. These experiences inspired her to write Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle as well as three sequels. A middle-grade novel, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle centers on the eccentric title character, who lives in an upside-down house and is friends with all the children in the community. She knows everything about children and recommends seemingly absurd but ultimately effective “cures” to their bad behavior ailments. Some of the novel’s key themes are that Bad Behavior Doesn’t Negate Intrinsic Goodness, The Creation of Everyday Magic, and the Role of Community in Parenting. The novel was much later succeeded by a fourth sequel, Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (2007), which was completed by MacDonald’s daughter, Anne, based on her mother’s notes, and a spinoff co-authored by MacDonald’s great-granddaughter, which focused on Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s great-niece, Missy Piggle-Wiggle. The novel was adapted into a 1990 musical and a 1994 TV series.