Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Ill. by Helen Oxenbury. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1993. ISBN 9780689505690
Plot Summary:
The three little wolves are sent out into the world by their mother to build a house. Of course, she warns them about the big, bad pig. They meet three different animals who provide them with three different types of building materials to build their house. The first material used are bricks, then they try concrete, and lastly they use barbed wired, iron bars, armor plates, metal padlocks, Plexiglas, and steel chains. All three houses are destroyed by the pig with a sledgehammer, a pneumatic drill, and dynamite. The last animal the wolves run into is a flamingo who is pushing a load of flowers. They ask and receive flowers from the flamingo and built themselves one more house. The walls were made of different types of flowers and their house was very fragile, but beautiful. The pig comes along the next day and threatens to blow the house down. He took a deep breath and smelled the wonderful scent of the flowers. He kept taking breaths and his heart grew tender. He realized he had been a terrible pig and decided to be a good one. He started dancing and singing, The wolves ran out of their house and began playing with him. They played until they were tired and they all went into the house to rest.
Critical Analysis:
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig is a wonderful, fun version of the traditional tale. The charm of the original story has been retained while adding some new twists to this version. The basic format of the story is the same except for a role reversal for the main characters, some new building materials for the wolves, and new destructive tools for the pig. The characters are typical of traditional tales in that some are kind and one is cruel...good vs. evil. The plot moves quickly and the flow of the story doesn't slow down. A rhythmic pattern in the story adds to the pace and makes this a great read-aloud. A fun twist at the end is a surprise and will delight children of all ages.
Helen Oxenbury's watercolor illustrations complement the story perfectly, while adding fun, humorous details that will engage all types of readers. Oxenbury also illustrated We're Going on a Bear Hunt and her illustrations are playful and inviting...also perfect for this story. The characters are very expressive and readers will fall in love with the little wolves. A favorite illustration of mine is the pig dancing with a tambourine among the flowers of the house while the three wolves look on in apparent shock.
Review Excerpts:
- A Parents' Choice Gold Award Book
- ALA Notable Book
- School Library Journal Best Book
- Parents Choice Amazing Accomplishment Award
- A Booklist Editors' Choice
- From Kirkus Reviews-"Never mind the other incarnations of this tale--classic, fractured, rapped; this inversion will have children giggling from the outset. Oxenbury provides dauntingly well- executed watercolors, offering such charming contrasts as an angular modernistic concrete home in an otherwise pastoral setting."
- From Parents' Choice-"Once upon a time, there were three cuddly little wolves... who lived with their mother," begins this "fractured fairy tale," and the giggles don't cease till wolves and pig merrily play "pig-pog" and then "piggy-in-the-middle." But the real triumph is Oxenbury's watercolors, with wolves and piggy doing people things, and leaping gorgeously in the meadow.
- From Teen Ink-"The colorful illustrations that grace every page engage children, while adults may delight in the text's and images' subtle humor. It plays with the original storyline in pleasing ways that shine against the basic tale every child knows. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig is a charming, clever story that will engage anyone who opens it.
- From Publishers Weekly-"A talented team ingeniously up-ends the classic tale of the three little pigs, and the laugh-out-loud results begin with the opening illustration--a mother wolf lounges in bed, her hair in curlers and her toenails freshly polished, with her three fluffy, cuddly offspring gathered round. Oxenbury's watercolors capture the story's broad humor and add a wealth of supplementary details, with exquisite renderings of the wolves' comic temerity and the pig's bellicose stances. Among the wittiest fractured fairytales around."
Connections:
Watch video of the story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pkgzQk6kiY
Have students act out the story by participating in a Reader's Theater: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/readerstheater/ThreeLittleWolves.html
Read traditional tale and then read The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig; students can compare/contrast and pick their favorite tale.
Gather other versions of the story to read such as:
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell ISBN 9780873585422
Alaska's Three Pigs by Arlene Laverde ISBN 9781570612299
The Three Cajun Pigs by Mike Artell ISBN 9780803728158
The Three Little Pigs and the Fox by William H. Hooks ISBN 9780689809620
The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague ISBN 978-0439915014
Read some other books by Helen Oxenbury such as:
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen ISBN 9780689815812
It's My Birthday ISBN 9780763649708
Charley's First Night by Amy Hest ISBN 9780763640552
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