Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a series of children's books written by Betty MacDonald. The first book is Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, published in 1947; three sequels by MacDonald are Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm, and Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1949 to 1957). Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (2007) was completed by her daughter Anne MacDonald Canham based on "notes for other stories among her mother's possessions".. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
A 2016 spinoff series by Ann M. Martin and McDonald's great-granddaughter Annie Parnell featured Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's great-niece, Missy Piggle-Wiggle.
Synopsis The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series is about a small woman who lives in an upside-down house in a lively neighborhood inhabited mainly by children who have bad habits.
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has a chest full of magical cures left to her by her deceased husband, Mr. Piggle-Wiggle, who was a pirate. In the first two books of the series, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1947) and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic (1949), Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle provides parents with cures for their children's bad habits. Cures range from the mundane (the "Won't-Pick-Up-Toys Cure", allowing a small boy to continue leaving his toys scattered about his room until the room becomes so cluttered that he is unable to escape) to the fantastic (the "Interrupting Cure", a special powder that is blown on the interrupter, which causes the person to become temporarily mute every time they try to interrupt someone).
In the series' third book, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm (1954), Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle sells her house in town and buys a farm, where with the assistance of a large assortment of animals she continues to help children overcome their bad habits. In this collection, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle uses no magic for her cures; the farm itself does the most good. In the fourth book, Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1957) she has apparently returned to her original neighborhood and to her magical cures. No mention of the farm is made for the rest of the series.
The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories were based on bedtime stories MacDonald made up for her daughters, nephews, and nieces (and later grandchildren and grandnephews/-nieces). Some of the 151 children have the same names as members of the original audience (for example, there is a pair of brothers called Darsie and Bard). This explains some of the inconsistencies, such as Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle being either a good witch/fairy or just someone who understands child psychology better than most professors of the subject.
The final book in the series, Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (2007), was published sixty years after the original, and is largely written by MacDonald's daughter, Anne MacDonald Canham (the two share a writing credit for this book). The first story in the book is an unpublished MacDonald story, while Anne explains in the book that the remaining stories are based on "notes for other stories among her mother's possessions."
The first editions of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic were illustrated by Richard Bennett and Kurt Wiese respectively. Subsequent editions of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic, and Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle were illustrated by Hilary Knight. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm was illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was illustrated by Alexandra Boiger.
Stories Chapter Title Main Character(s) Problem/Misbehavior Cure Employed Other Children Introduced Mrs. Piggle-WiggleMrs. Piggle-Wiggle, HerselfMary Lou Robertson, Kitty WheelingHates washing dishes (Mary Lou), hates making beds (Kitty)Makes both tasks a fun game and a raceBobby Wheeling, Dicky Williams, MaxThe Won't-Pick-Up-Toys CureHubert PrentissWill not pick up his toysLeft alone with his toys until he is unable to leave his room when Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle leads a parade past his houseCharlie, Billy Peters, Tommy Peters, Ermintrude Bags, Gregory Moohead, Susan GrappleThe Answer-Backer CureMolly O'Toole (mostly called Mary in this book, renamed Molly subsequently)RudenessPenelope the parrot is equally rude, giving her a taste of her own medicineCalliope Ragbag, Chuckie Keystop, Garry GarrisonThe Selfishness CureDick ThompsonRefuses to share anythingA "selfishness kit" labels everything as Dick's property, causing him embarrassment when other children ridicule himBobby Slater, Kenny HatchThe Radish CurePatsy Waters Will not take bathsLeft unbathed so she is caked with dirt, then radishes are planted on herPrunella Brown, Paraphernalia Grotto, Cormorant BroomrackThe Never-Want-To-Go-To-Bedders CureBobby Gray, Larry Gray, Susan GrayDoes not want to go to bedAllowed to stay up late until they are so tired they cannot function during the day, missing activities such as birthday partiesCatherine Grassfeather, Wilfred Grassfeather, Worthington Gardenfield, Guinevere GardenfieldThe Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker CureAllenSlow eaterServed meals on progressively smaller dishes until he lacks energy to functionWetherill Crankminor, Pergola WingsproggleThe Fighter-Quarrelers CureAnne Russell, Joan RussellBickering Parents mimic the fighting of the children, demonstrating how unpleasant it is to those around themJasper Quitrick, Myrtle Quitrick Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's MagicMrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic------Marilyn Matson, Johnny Wilfred, Julie Ward, Johnny GreenThe Thought-You-Saiders CureDarsie Burbank, Alison Burbank, Bard BurbankDeliberately misinterpreting others as a jokeSmall powder makes hearing super-sensitive when sprinkled in the ear (example; makes turning on a light switch sound like a gunshot or a water faucet like Niagara Falls)Terry Teagle, Theresa TeagleThe Tattletale CureWendy Hamilton, Timmy HamiltonTattlingPills convert tattletales into puffs of smoke with tailsJimmy Murton, Marty PhillipsThe Bad-Table-Manners CureChristopher BrownBad table mannersLester the pig demonstrates beautiful table mannersPercy Penzil, Pamela Penzil, Potter PenzilThe InterruptersBenji Franklin, Sally Franklin, Stevie FranklinInterruptingInterrupter Powder takes away the voice of someone who interrupts--The Heedless BreakerSharon RogersCarelessness and clumsinessPowder slows down bodily movement--The Never-Want-To-Go-To-SchoolerJody JonesTruancyIgnorance Tonic induces stupidity, causing him to desire knowledgeJan Jones, Julie Jones, Linda Jones, Armand ArmadilloThe Waddle-I-DoersLee Wharton, Mimi WhartonBoredomA treasure hunt --; this story includes most of the children from the first two books Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's FarmThe Not Truthful CureFetlock HarrowayLying Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's animals ensure that there is no need to lie in order to impressWembley Rustad, Winifred Feathering, Williver MallettThe Pet Forgetter CureRebecca RolfeForgets to take care of petsMrs. Piggle-Wiggle "forgets" to feed her and locks her out of the farmhouse, so she knows how it feelsCedric Bent-Smith, Eunice HendricksThe Destructiveness CureJeffie PhillipsTakes things apart and cannot reassemble themEverything he takes apart brings him more work, prompting him to learn how to fix thingsBilly Robinson, Donnie Harpoon, Wickie Rockstall, Electra RockstallThe Fraidy-Cat CurePhoebe JackstrawIrrational fearAn emergency helps her overcome her fear and find inner strengthJeremy Jackstraw, Chuckie Jackstraw, Georgie Jackstraw, Imogene Haversack, Shirley Melancholy, Kathy MelancholyThe Can't Find It CureMorton HeatherwickEasily distractedShamed into focusing when his help is neededEnterprise Beecham Hello, Mrs. Piggle-WiggleThe Show-Off CurePhillip CarmodyShowing offShow-off Powder makes him invisible when showing offConnie Carmody, Bobby Westover, Billy MarkleThe Crybaby CureMelody FoxgloveExcessive cryingCrybaby Tonic makes her unable to stop her tears when cryingCornell Foxglove, Harvard Foxglove, Emmy Foxglove, Trent Popsickle, Tansy Popsickle, Betsy WiltThe BullyNicholas SemicolonCruelty to younger children and animalsLeadership Pills bring out leadership qualities (Bullybaths, which weaken the bather so they can be pushed around, are rejected in favor of the pills)Roscoe Eager, Billy MacIntosh, Sylvia Crouch, Jimmy Gopher, Priscilla Wick, the Adams twinsThe WhispererEvelyn Rover, Mary Crackle, Cornelia WhitehouseGossipy whisperingWhisper Stick, a stick of magical candy, takes away the voiceKaren Elroyd, Bobby Crackle, Billy Crackle, Corinthian BopThe SlowpokeHarbin QuadrangleDaydreamingSpecial spray makes him extremely alert and focusedSylvia Quadrangle, Janey Quadrangle, Annabell, Mona, Kathy, Georgie Wilcox Happy Birthday, Mrs. Piggle-WiggleThe Just-One-More-TV-Show CureKitten Hanover, Sean HanoverTelevision addictionAversion technique; forcing them to watch until they resist itRobin Waxbean, Lark Waxbean, Honor Hatchet, Honesty Hatchet, Henry Fence, Billy RagweedThe Won't-Brush-Teeth CureBetsy ApplebeeBrushing her teeth is unimportantWag the dog demonstrates proper tooth brushingEllen, Rose Thorngate, Jasmine Thorngate, Jervil Thorngate Jr.The Insult CureBlake BransonCruelty to othersInsults written on paper glow blindingly in the dark of his bedroomPercival Goodwin, Prissy Goodwin, Candace GoodwinThe Picky-Eater CureWill PembertonPicky eatingCrystals transform any food into white noodles; the effect being that he will want to try other thingsAriel Wingstaff, Finch WingstaffThe Afraid-to-Try CureJonathan CampbellOverly cautiousRescuing Lightfoot the cat from a tree helps him overcome his timidityGeorge O'Connor, Timmy O'Connor, Ricky Timbers, Woody TimbersThe Messy Stuff-and-Cram CureKaty McCloudMessinessInvisible paint around her room prevents her from moving until every area is neatPrunella Peasley, Quinton PeasleyThe Never-Finish CureJanie BeaumontInability to complete one task before moving on to anotherPowder makes her unable to move to another task until she finishes the current oneChristie Anne McClanahan, Carrie Philpot, Larry PhilpotMrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Birthday Party------Matt McGregor, Kevin McGregor; this story also includes children from all five books
In other media
In 1990, a musical based on the books was created, The Magic Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. In 1994, the books were made into a TV series created by Shelley Duvall and starring Jean Stapleton.
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