Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Three Horrid Little Pigs by Liz Pichon

Pichon, Liz. THE THREE HORRID LITTLE PIGS. Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-1589250772.


Plot Summary

In this new take on a traditional folk tale, the three little pigs are the bad guys. Their mother kicks them out of the house for being naughty little pigs. The first pig tries to build a house out of straw, but it is quickly eaten by cows. The second pig makes himself a home out of twigs, but angry birds rip it apart. The third pig overtakes a rooster’s house for his own home, but the rooster pecks him right out. As opposed to the traditional telling, the wolf is the nice character. The pigs, having no place to go, sneak into the wolf’s house. While readers see the wolf with a big pot on the stove, in the end he offers the pigs soup and helps them to make a big house out of bricks. In this house, the pigs, cows, birds and roosters all have enough space for all to move in.

Critical Analysis


The sweet wolf spends the entire book trying to help the pigs out as much as possible. He is seen in the background of the picture on almost every page with a hardhat and a tool belt, trying to assist the naughty pigs. When the pigs are not nice to him, he mutters things under his breath like, “How rude!” The wolf is nothing but considerate the entire time, turning the known story of the three pigs and the mean wolf on its ear. The font used throughout the story really joins the text to the illustrations. For instance, the words swirl around the page when the pigs say they will huff and puff to overtake someone else’s home.

The facial expressions on the pigs really lend credit to how mean they are to others. They look like nasty little pigs that deserved to be kicked out of their house. The wolf, on the other hand, has a kind and helpful face which leads to his willingness to help the pigs, despite how many times they turned their backs to his help along the way. The illustrations are bright and colorful and well animated which help move the story along. This innovative take on a classic folk tale is funny and well worth the read. The pictures give an updated feel to the book and make it engaging to children and adults alike.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: “If you think you can't jam another twist on a classic tale into your collection, think again. Three pesky porcine protagonists are so bad that their mother kicks them out of the house. They are so lazy that they merely pile up sticks and straw for houses and one takes over a henhouse. The wolf is portrayed as a helpful handyman who offers to shore up their shoddy construction but is rebuffed each time. Rendered homeless by straw-eating cows, nesting birds that need sticks, and a pecking rooster who reclaims the henhouse, the homeless pigs get ready to head for the kindly wolf's abode. When he hears the pigs on the roof, he prepares a "big pot of boiling…soup" and invites them in. The tale ends with everyone living together happily ever after. The full-color cartoon illustrations capture the pigs' bad behavior and comeuppance with a goofy exuberance. The font size shrinks and enlarges to mirror the action and the text works as a fun read-aloud as well as a read-alone.”

Connections

· Read other versions of The Three Little Pigs and compare and contrast the pigs and the wolf. Who are bad and good in each? Does the outcome change at the end of each story? Consider looking at: The Three Little Pigs by Steven Kellogg, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas and Alaska’s Three Pigs by Arlene Laverde.

· Art Project: Have the kids use various materials to build their own pig houses (i.e. toothpicks, straws, etc.) Find out which ones hold up the best through a strong wind. Discuss what makes the sturdiest house.

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