LSSL 5360 Module 2 book review #4, The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

Book Review #4- Module 2- The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wiesner, David. (2001). The Three Pigs. New York, NY: Clarion Books.
ISBN 0618007016

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

The Three Pigs starts just as you think it would… a familiar store we all know as each pig collects materials to build houses. With the introduction of the wolf’s character, Wiesner jumps right into the classic, “I’ll huff and puff and blow your house down!” Yet, this fun story takes a quick twist as the wolf “huffs” each pig right out of the pages and into a story-land where they encounter different stories and characters. The reader is guided through a realm of imagination that ends back where we began, but with an unexpected and happy ending.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story, for me personally, was a very hard read-aloud because it was really all over the place, jumping from story to story and character to character. Additionally, the writing style changed, the illustrations transformed, and even the letters and words flew across the pages in new ways. The thought bubbles appeared and disappeared as the pigs jumped from one story to the next, taking the reader on an adventure, albeit, a choppy one. Nonetheless, I enjoyed being guided through the classic story, and I was entertained by the new friends we met along the way. Wiesner does a great job of bring a light-hearted feel to the wolf blowing the houses down, and as he “ate the pig up,” young readers find comfort in the fact that these pigs have found their way out of harm’s way!

Wiesner’s illustrations truly take center stage in this book. The drawings start just as the story, classic, clean, predictable, and two dimensional, yet as the characters move from place to place, the mood and style of each illustration changes to fit the scene. As the pigs navigate through the pages of other stories, the drawings turn three dimensional. This really added texture and visualization to the new twist on this story. I think my favorite part of the story is where the pig looks right out at the reader and says, “I think…someone’s out there.” It was a truly creative and unique twist that Wiesner gives us as the pig acknowledges us, the readers. This story is definitely a little more mature, solely based on its complexity.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*2002 Caldecott Medal Winner

“The famous three little pigs escape the huffing-puffing wolf AND the bounds of their pages and go a-roaming through other children's books. Clever concept, and artwork to die for! A fun and very cute time should be had by all.” –starred Goodreads review by Melkit

5. CONNECTIONS
* I would recommend to readers 5 and up- story is a little complex.
*Would be fun in a lesson where you group read in small groups- that way the students can really look at the great illustrations and follow the story. Not a great read-aloud, in my opinion.
*Could include in a lesson of story mapping, folktales, or retold stories with a twist