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The Three Pigs (Traditional Literature)

 

(Photo: Goodreads.com)


1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wiesner, David. 2001. THE THREE PIGS. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0618007011

2.       PLOT SUMMARY

THE THREE PIGS is a retelling of the class tale The Three Little Pigs. Wiesner begins the story the same as the original: pig builds house, wolf blows down house, and then gobbles him up or the pig runs. Only this time, there’s a plot twist. The first pig is blown out of the story. He runs and grabs the next pigs before the wolf can blow the houses down. The pigs take over, ruffling and folding the pages of the story into a paper airplane so they can escape and explore. As the pigs’ travel, they find other class stories and make friends along the way. They do eventually return to the old version of their story, only to use their new skills and friends to subdue the wolf. They end the story with a “happily ever after.”

3.       CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Weisner creates a great twist when he changes the personalities of the main characters from the classic. The pigs were always scared and simple. In this version, the pigs are the mischievous ones, influencing new friends and tearing up stories as they go. They refuse to except their ending, turning on the wolf so he’ll leave them in peace. They turn the wolf into a joke which can be fun for children that might have been scared by the original. The wolf himself was set up to be sinister, but he gets confused and left behind, making him a joke as a villain. This slight changed offers the characters more depth, emotion, and interest.

The plot is more complicated, with little word bubbles over here and there, pictures here but animals over there, lots to look at everywhere! This can be more fun for children that like a lot of action and things to look at. Included other classic works like the nursery rhyme, “Hey Diddle, Diddle” and a story involving a dragon guarding gold (typical in fairytales).

Opposed to the original illustrations that would show one scene to the next in painterly form, this version has much more going, using a wide variety of illustration styles like speech bubbles, text excerpts, white space, and pictures from different books. This leads the reader on a journey through a book world we might create in our minds as we remember old tales. The white space shows us how far the pigs’ freedom is headed, and also allows the reader space to think and process. The pigs themselves change from traditional pencil drawings to realistic looking pigs.

4.       REVIEWS/ AWARDS

Caldecott Medal- Winner 2002

* "A funny, wildly imaginative tale that encourages readers to leap beyond the familiar; to think critically about conventional stories and illustration, and perhaps, to flex their imaginations and create wonderfully subversive versions of their own stories." — ALA Booklist, Starred Review

* Starred Review in Publishers Weekly: “Wiesner’s (Tuesday) 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.”

5.       CONNECTIONS

This take on the traditional tale lends itself well to comparison with a more traditional version.  Students can compare the stories using a graphic organizer, then discuss their findings. It doesn’t have to be this story. Students can find different versions of other stories and do the compare and contrasting and then share out with the class.


*Another book with a unique viewpoint of the classic story, The Three Little Pigs:


Scieszka, Jon. 1996. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.  Ill. by Lane Smith. New York, NY: Puffin. ISBN 978-0140544510

 

Have students create their own, new version of a traditional story.  They can choose from any well-known folk tales, fairy tales, myths, etc. even interweaving them as Weisner has done.

 

Older students can analyze the story effects and how the author uses illustrations to shift perspective in the story along with the other literary elements presented.

 

 

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