Book Review - The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

 

1. Bibliography

Trivizas, Eugene. 1992. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Ill. Helen Oxenbury. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 0-689-50569-8. 

2. Plot Summary

The wolves in this story are the innocent creatures trying to survive threats of being eaten by a big, bad pig.  Though they build sturdy houses, which are huff and puff-proof, the pig is determined to get in and he uses drastic measures to do so.  In the end, it was the silly little house made of marigolds, daffodils, roses and cherry blossoms was the house that the pig did not destroy.

3. Critical Analysis

"Once upon a time, there were three cuddly little wolves with soft fur and fluffy tails..." Readers are sure to enjoy the irony in the presentation of this fractured tale. This story line is parallel in some ways to the traditional tale of The Three Little Pigs, however, there are some big differences. The satirical retelling involves complete role reversals. Another notable difference is that the wolves and the pig end up being friends. Ironically, the wolves' strong houses were destroyed by the big, bad pig, while the house made of flowers was the one the pig could not destroy.  In fact, it was the wonderful fragrance of these flowers that led the pig to befriend the wolves, rather than continuing to pursue them as a good meal.  Concepts including determination and creativity can be easily linked to the sharing of this book.  The surprise ending makes for an enjoyable shared reading experience for all.

The illustrations are colored pencil drawings that add so much charm to the story.  Readers can easily see how a sledgehammer, a pulley system, and a jackhammer are used, which expands their vocabulary through these excellent drawings.  

4. Review Excerpts

1993 Booklist Starred: "Both the art and the text are full of wit"
1994 Book Horn: "readers will appreciate the humor in the details and in the unexpected happy ending."

5. Connections

Use a lesson plan prepared by Scholastic: 

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=1032 

Art/literature connection: Allow students to create models of the wolves' houses and the pigs' houses (from the original tale) and compare them.