The Three Pigs, by David Weisner

The Three Pigs, by David Weisner

(Picture Book, ages 5-9)

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wiesner, D. 1999, The Three Pigs, Clarion Books, New York, NY; ISBN 0618007016

PLOT SUMMARY

The retelling of the classic The Three Little Pigs takes on a whole new adventure as The Three Pigs venture out of their own fairy tale and into the settings of Hey Diddle Diddle and also into the story of a dragon in pursuit of a golden rose.   The Three Pigs’ story begins very similarly as the class tale but as the second pig’s house of sticks is blown down, the pigs decide to jet set off on their paper airplane and into magical new lands.  The pig’s adventure concludes with dragon and cat returning to the world of The Three Pigs and a funny new twist on an ending.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This adaption, The Three Pigs could not be more progressive.  This classic tale takes on a whole new dimension through the use of cross fairy tale adventure.  It is a true modern day rendition of a very familiar classic.   Wiesner’s early influence of comic books is evident in his use of speech bubbles and collage style graphics.  Wiesner’s use of white space, the combination of framed illustrations with graphic overlays and diverse fonts create detail and excitement that captivates its reader.

The layering of imagery and text creates a chaotic movement throughout the book and generates anticipation as to what’s next?  The innovative use of 3-D graphics and comical text will have the reader returning to The Three Pigs again and again with a new look and observations not encounter before.  Truly a brilliant contemporary spin on a timeless classic.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

New York Times, Book Review- “Wiesner's dialogue and illustrations are clever, whimsical and sophisticated.”

 

Publisher's Weekly, starred review- “As readers have come to expect from the inventive works of Wiesner, nothing is ever quite as it seems in his picture books. . . . Wiesner's brilliant use of white space and perspective . . . evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities—and that the range of story itself is limitless.”

 

School Library Journal, starred review- “Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.”

 

AWARDS:
Caldecott Medal Award 2002
ALA Notable Children’s Book 2002

 CONNECTIONS

The story of The Three Pigs has many versions and adaptions.  Here are some cross-curriculum ideas for your students:

Language Arts

• Compare and contrast The Three Pigs by David Weisner with The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka using a Double Bubble Graphic Organizer.   Have student’s compare and contrast and then have the students rewrite a portion of the story (adventure to another fairy land) or the ending of the story.

Art

• Have students create their own pig mask to wear when they read their rendition of The Three Pigs.
• Students can create either paper bag or sock puppets and conduct a Reader’s Theatre.

Social Studies

• Discuss the topic of homelessness and the organizations in place to help those who are without a home. Point out the empathy displayed in the weasel's efforts to save the homeless wolf and the neighbors' help to build him a new home and plant a garden. Relate this to real-life situations, and ask students what they might do to help people less fortunate than themselves

Technology

• Show a video about Weisner’s approach to the story and how we came up with the idea to intertwine other fairy tales.

Other recommended books:

·       Scieszka, Jon The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. Illus. Lane Smith. New York: Scholastic, 1989.

·        Moser, Barry. The Three Little Pigs. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001.

·        Laird, Donivee M. Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark. Illus. Carol Jossem. Barnaby Books, 1990

·        Ketteman, Helen. The Three Little Gators. Illus. Will Terry. Morton Grove, Ill: Albert Whitman, 2009

·       Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. Illus. Helen Oxenbury. New York: Scholastic, 1993