The Three Pigs

Bibliography

Wiesner, David. 2001. The Three Pigs. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN: 978-0618007011

Brief plot summary

The three pigs set out to seek their fortune. The pigs build their houses out of the traditional materials (straw, sticks, and bricks). However, when the wolf comes to blow each house down the pig living in that house escapes from the pages of the book. The pigs escape the wolf by folding a page of the storybook into a paper airplane and flying off into other storybook worlds where they meet the cat and the fiddle and a fairy-tale dragon. These new friends return to the house of bricks with the three pigs where they all sit down to eat a bowl of alphabet soup and live happily ever after.

Critical analysis

This postmodern retelling of the classic tale reinvents the pigs’ story and invites the reader to follow the pigs on an adventure outside the boundaries of the traditional tale and into the pages of other storybooks. As the pigs make their escape from their traditional reality, the pages of the storybook begin to deconstruct and when the pigs and their new friends decide to return to the brick house they must put the pages back together. Upon their return the letters begin to fall off the pages signaling that a new ending will bring about a new chapter in the lives of the three pigs.

The artwork plays an important role in the story telling as shifts of perspective keep the story flowing and underscores the humor in the story. The artwork was created using mixed media including watercolor, gouache, colored inks, pencil, and colored pencils.  Weisner uses four different visual styles in The Three Pigs: one for The Three Little Pigs storybook, one for the Hey Diddle Diddle section, one for the dragon's storybook, and then a more photo-realistic style when the pigs are traveling between stories. On the last few pages of the book we are shown through the illustrations the effect of the pigs’ adventures outside of their own story as the text begins to break apart and drift down the pages.

This version will fascinate and puzzle children. With its graphic novel frames and conversation balloons, there is not a single linear way to read the story on every page. Younger children may get lost trying to figure out why the words on the pages say one thing, but the action shows another. Also, while the wolf is destined to stay trapped in the book, the pigs are allowed to run away from evil and their fears. Readers of all ages will find humor and much to be enjoyed in this retelling of The Three Pigs.

Review excerpts

“Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (1989) turned the favorite porkers' story upside-down by allowing the grossly misjudged wolf to tell his side of the story. Wiesner's latest is a post-modern fantasy for young readers that takes Scieszka's fragmentation a step further: it not only breaks apart and deliciously reinvents the pigs' tale, it invites readers to step beyond the boundaries of story and picture book altogether.” – Booklist (starred)

"Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.” – School Library Journal

“Wiesner's dialogue and illustrations are clever, whimsical and sophisticated. – New York Times Review of Books

Awards / Best Books

Caldecott Medal Winner, 2002

Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature Winner, 2001

Reading Magic Award, 2001 – Parenting

ALSC Notable Children’s Books, 2002

Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books, 2001

School Library Journal Best Books, 2001

Classroom Connections

Give students the opportunity to explore stereotyping and bias by looking at representations of the wolf in different versions of The Three Pigs (print and film). Have students participate in an AVID-style Philosophical Chairs or Socratic Circles to examine their preconceptions and stereotypes.

In the book the pigs stumbled into other fairy tales and nursery rhymes such as the "Cat and the Fiddle." What other stories might the pigs visit? How would they get there? What might happen there and what characters might they rescue and take back home with them? Write a short story telling what happens.

Compare and contrast this telling of The Three Pigs to the Disney Silly Symphony cartoon of The Three Little Pigs.

Use a Double Bubble Thinking Map to compare and contrast this version with Jon Scieszka’s The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

Pair this book with Roald Dahl’s poem, “The Three Little Pigs,” and discuss similarities and differences.

Other popular versions and variants of The Three Little Pigs:

Galdone, Paul. The Three Little Pigs. ISBN: 978-0547370200

Zemach, Margot. The Three Little Pigs: An Old Story. ISBN: 978-1439584965

Moser, Barry, The Three Little Pigs. ISBN: 978-0316585446

Marshall, James. The Three Little Pigs. ISBN: 978-0613301565

Rounds, Glenn. The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. ISBN: 978-0823409235

Scieszka, Jon. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. ISBN: 978-0140544510

Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. ISBN: 978-0613021333

The Ugly Duckling

Bibliography

Andersen, Hans Christian. 1999. The Ugly Duckling. Adapted and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN: 978-0618007011

Brief plot summary

A mother duck's eggs hatch, but the biggest egg takes longer than all the others. When it finally hatches the mother notices his long neck and dull color and wonders if he is a turkey chick.  Other ducks in the yard make fun of his ugliness and taunt him.  Although his mother stands by him, the ugly duckling lives an unpleasant life on the farm on which his family lives. He is not only disparaged for his looks, but he is often bullied and brutalized by the other ducks, including his brothers and sisters, and the humans living on the farm. He runs away and immediately finds himself in the middle of a hunting party with guns going off all around him. Surviving this ordeal, he seeks refuge in an old woman's hut, but the woman's pets make life unpleasant for him. So he heads back out into the wild and finds himself alone on the brink of winter. The cold weather nearly kills him, but as spring arrives, he finds himself feeling stronger and flies to a beautiful place with a collection of swans. The ugly duckling has by now given up on life. He intends to place himself among the swans and then expects them to simply kill him. Instead, they recognize him as one of their own. Looking at his own reflection in the water, he sees that he is! In fact, the little children who visit the garden think him the most beautiful swan of all.

Critical analysis

A faithful adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy story that has been beautifully illustrated in watercolor with double-page spreads that draw the reader into the natural setting. The illustrations add to the drama of the story and keep the reader engaged in its telling. Through the illustrations the reader will feel the coldness of the winter scenes, the warmth and beauty of spring, and the wonder of being underwater.

Review excerpts

“Outstanding illustrations and some new characters make Pinkney's retelling of a familiar tale memorable.” – Kirkus Review

“An artistic tour de force that is worthy of its graceful fine-feathered subject.” – School Library Journal, starred review.

“…Pinkney's keenly observed watercolors honor nature in all its splendor. A flawlessly nuanced performance by a consummate craftsman.” – Publisher’s Weekly

The illustrations-gorgeous watercolors-are mesmerizing, and a fitting interpretation of the story.” – Horn Book Magazine

Awards / Best Books

Caldecott Medal Honor Book, 2000

Booklist Editor’s Choice: Books for Youth, 1999

ALSC Notable Children’s Books, 2000

Classroom Connections

This is a book that should prompt discussion about bullying and its effects. The story also deals with feelings and emotions, being laughed at, and wanting to be like everyone else. Focus on the importance of understanding the feelings of others and being kind to everyone.

Students can brainstorm about how the swan egg ended up in mother duck’s nest. After choosing the best idea, students draw a picture and write a paragraph explaining what happened.

Read a brief biographical sketch about Hans Christian Andersen and then make the connection between his real life experience and that of the ugly duckling in his folk tale.

Other popular Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales include:

The Emperor’s New Clothes

The Little Match Girl

The Little Mermaid

The Nightingale

The Princess and the Pea

Thumbelina

The Tinderbox

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Bibliography

Kimmel, Eric. 1989. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Ill. By Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Holiday House. ISBN: 978-0823407699

Brief plot summary

Hershel wanders into a village on the first night of Hanukkah, but there is no celebration going on. He learns that the local synagogue has been taken over by goblins that hate Hanukkah and will not allow it to be celebrated. Hershel volunteers to get rid of the goblins by spending eight nights in the synagogue and lighting the candles each night. Hershel successfully outwits the goblins through trickery, triumphantly rids the synagogue of them, and restores the village celebration of Hanukkah.

Critical analysis

This is a humorous and inspired adaptation of the traditional Hanukkah story in which the Syrians forbade the Jewish people to worship as they wanted and the Jews fought back. In this adaptation the goblins will not allow the local villagers to celebrate Hanukkah and it is up to Hershel to battle the goblins in order to reestablish Hanukkah for the villagers. The reader looks forward to each night in the story when a new goblin will visit Hershel and he will triumphantly trick the goblin and light another candle on the menorah.

Trina Schart Hyman's illustrations portray the characters well and the goblins as both comical and scary.  There are plenty of sinister shadows and disquieting darkness to offset the luminously lit candles as the drama unfolds. The reader is drawn into the story through the illustrations.

Children who are unfamiliar with Hanukkah will need some background knowledge in order to wholly enjoy the fullness of this folktale. While a very short history of the celebration and its customs is included at the end of the book, it would add depth to the story if more time were spent learning about this important Jewish tradition.

Review excerpts

“Hyman's eerie and effective artwork illuminates Kimmel's original tale of a wanderer who outwits the demons who have prevented a village from celebrating Hanukkah.” – Booklist

“…this is a rip-roaring good story that succeeds on more levels than it fails.” – School Library Journal

“This book is welcome both as a Hanukkah story and as a trickster tale.” – Horn Book Magazine

“Kimmel provides a humorous, entertaining and just slightly scary story for all young readers. Hyman's illustrations emphasize all of the tension with dark scenes of the goblins and their attempts to frighten Hershel.” – Children's Literature Review

Awards / Best Books

Caldecott Medal Honor Book, 1990

National Council for the Social Studies Notable Book, 1990

National Council of Teachers of English Notable Book, 1992

Colorado Children's Book Award, 1992

Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award

Classroom Connections

This book could be included as students learn about multicultural holidays that are celebrated in winter: Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Las Posadas, Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year.

Students learn how to play the dreidl game and experience eating potato latkes.

Pair this book with a kid-friendly history of Hanukkah and then have students look for similarities and differences between the readings.

Pair this book with Eric Kimmel’s The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol (ISBN 978-0823414048) to make connections with other tales associated with Hershel.

Other books by Eric Kimmel that could be paired with Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins:

The Story of Esther: A Purim Tale. ISBN: 978-0823422234

A Hanukkah Treasury. ISBN: 978-0805052930

The Golem's Latkes. ISBN: 978-0761459040