This Little Piggy Went to Canada: A Nursery-Rhyme Tour for Young Readers

A familiar nursery rhyme gives young readers a cheerful route across Canada in This Little Piggy Went to Canada, a board book by Elena Sturgess, illustrated by Michells Simpson and published by Taffy Tales. The reviewer gives it five stars, praising its playful use of classic rhymes and its stops at recognizable Canadian places. For families looking for a light story with a sense of place, the book sounds like an inviting addition to shared reading time.

The premise gives the traditional piggies a new itinerary. The Goodreads synopsis describes a journey through Canada’s provinces and territories, with the characters visiting a Nova Scotia fish market, sunbathing with lobsters in New Brunswick, watching whales in Newfoundland, cheering at the Calgary Stampede and trying their hand at Toronto’s stock market. The review also singles out Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia and the CNE in Toronto, Ontario, alongside the Calgary Stampede in Alberta.

Those details give the book its appeal: each stop brings a different local reference into a format familiar to small children. The reviewer says the piggies visit every province and territory and encounter well-known landmarks and locations along the way. That broad itinerary offers families plenty to notice together, whether a place is already familiar or simply prompts a conversation about where the story has travelled.

Classic rhymes, Canadian detours

The book draws on the well-known “This Little Piggy” rhyme, while also making cute references to “Three Little Pigs,” according to the reviewer. That recognition can help make the trip feel accessible to very young listeners: the characters and rhyme traditions provide a starting point, while the Canadian settings supply the new material. The reviewer’s enthusiasm is rooted in that combination, describing the board book as one they “really enjoyed.”

For a read-aloud, the mix also gives adults and children different ways into the story. Children who enjoy repeating familiar rhymes may be drawn to the piggies’ adventures; grown-ups can point out the changing places and pick up on the Canadian references. The synopsis promises clever rhymes, bright illustrations and humorous details on every page. Those are publisher-provided descriptions, while the reviewer’s own account confirms the book’s playful nods to the nursery-rhyme tradition and its tour of Canadian sites.

The setting can invite curiosity without asking a young reader to follow a complicated plot. A fish market, lobsters, whale-watching and a stampede each suggest a distinct kind of stop, while the city and regional names give the journey its geographic shape. For parents and caregivers, that creates natural opportunities to pause, talk about the pictures and places, or simply keep the rhythm moving. The review doesn’t describe specific interactive features, so the book’s appeal is best understood through its rhymes, illustrations and location-based humor.

A board book for shared storytime

Published in board-book format, This Little Piggy Went to Canada is aimed at little readers and nursery-rhyme fans. The synopsis also recommends it to families seeking a silly story with educational touches. Its provincial and territorial itinerary gives it a gentle learning angle, but the reviewer’s response suggests that enjoyment comes first: this is a lighthearted adventure built around piggies, recognizable rhymes and familiar Canadian references.

It may suit families who like books that give children something to spot or ask about as they read. A reader might recognize the CNE or Peggy’s Cove, or meet those names for the first time. Either way, the settings can make a repeated reading feel like a return trip, with different details catching a child’s attention each time. The synopsis frames the book as a celebration of Canada; the review supports that framing through its emphasis on the stops and the rhyme references.

Taffy Tales lists the release date as August 25, 2026. The review copy was provided by Taffy Tales, as disclosed by the reviewer. The Goodreads listing linked below uses a slightly different version of the title in its synopsis: This Little Piggy Came to Canada. The review’s book details and headline use This Little Piggy Went to Canada.

For readers choosing a board book for a young child, the clearest reason to consider this one is its blend of familiar nursery-rhyme play and Canadian destinations. It offers a simple premise for reading together, with plenty of room for pointing, repeating and talking about the places the piggies visit.