The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs By: Jon Scieszka, Illustrated By: Lane Smith

“The True Story of the Little Pigs”

By: A wolf

As told by: Jon Scieszka

Illustrated By: Lane Smith

Summary: The book tries to show the Wolf's side of the story. He is not big nor is he bad not by a long shot.  The wolf justifies  that he had  to go to the little pigs' houses  to get some sugar  to bake a cake for his dear Granny's birthday. The wolf having  a cold and "sneezing a great sneeze", he didn't mean to blow down the pigs houses and eat  the pigs.  He the Wolf was as not letting good meat go to waste, since the pigs die in the sneeze anyway. At the very end of the book,  the wolf told the whole story from his prison cell telling the  officer "he's been framed", having been caught by the cops during his 'attack' on the third pig's house being hauled away due to his rage after the pig insulted his granny!   he was mad because the pig dismissed his politeness of  his request for sugar. This is such a funny story it will crack your sides with laughter.

Evaluation by genre: This story is a children’s book that uses folklore, and fantasy, it is a fairytale and a fable all wrapped into one. The illustrations are so comical especially the hamburger which has a rabbit, a sheep, and a pig in between the buns with the hamburger tomatoes, onion, and pickle. The mixing bowl has a bunny under the flour, and the eggs; the sugar is missing ingredient. And he is going door to door to ask for some sugar. Illustrations are bright and colorful. The front of the book is a newspaper headline by the “Daily Woof” story by A Wolf.

Reader Response Questions: (1) Why does the wolf go to the houses to get sugar? (2) Why didn't he go to the supermarket? (3) Do you think he really felt bad eating the little pigs? (4) Do you think it was fair to lock him up? (5) Do you think that he is the villain or the victim?

Personal comments: I love this story, I grew up reading the story of the Three Little Pigs but I have never had it read to me like this. I loved it so much, now you can see the side of the wolf and his plight. It has a cute twist on the end that will tickle your sides with laughter. You should as a teacher buy this book and read it to your class no matter what age they are, they will laugh too. It was honored by “The American Library Association” as a ALA Notable Book. The National Education Association said,”It is the top 100 Books for all Children.” School Library Journal said, “It is the top 100 picture book polled in 2012.” If you like this book please read “The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf”

Classroom Activities:

(1) Before reading the book first read the original story, “The Three Little Pigs” Then read “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.” Ask your students to fold a piece of paper in the middle to write which parts are the same and which parts are different.  

(2) Point of view: In this story the author changes the point of view from the original story, Ask the students to write about whether or not they are convinced by the wolf's story. Does he seem trustworthy? Why or Why not?

(3) Ask the children to write a letter to the wolf in jail.

(4) Ask the children to act out the two stories.

(5) Ask the children do they know of any other fantasy/fairy tales that have been changed over the years.

In chapter six page 209, figure 6.1, I would say that the story meets the criteria for excellence in narrative fiction. The fantasy world is detailed and believable within the context of the story. The story events are imaginative, yet logically consistent within the story world. The character is multidimensional, with consistent and logical behavior of a wolf. The writing is rich, and the structures are clear. And the themes are meaningful, causing readers to think about life.

In chapter six page 215, figure 6.3, this folklore contains the tale of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ with a small twist. The author weaves in many folklore elements of the original story. Where the wolf huffs and puffs and blows down the house of straw and the house of sticks but cannot blow down the house of bricks. The story does compare a literary tale to the original piece of folklore on which it is modeled. It also does discuss the differences between the original and the elaborated tale.

Cited

Whitman Galda, Lee, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Lawrence R. Sipe. "Literature and the Child." , 7th Edition by Lee Galda, Bernice E. Cullinan, Lawrence R. Sipe (9780495602392). Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, n.d. &, 1998. Print.

Scieszka, Jon, and Lane Smith. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs: By A. Wolf. New York: Viking Penguin., 1989. Print.

Post by : Terry M. Wheaton