The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

1.      Bibliography

Wiesner, David. The Three Pigs. New York. Clarion Books. 2001. ISBN 0618007016

2.      Plot Summary

This tale starts out in the traditional Three Little Pigs format – ‘Once upon a time’.  And, while these three pigs still build their houses out of straw, sticks and bricks; and the wolf still comes to blow their houses down; these pigs aren’t about to let the wolf be the one to direct their fate.  These pigs are wise and much more in control of their own story and the fate of some other familiar characters.

3.      Critical Analysis

Children will love the familiar characters who act in an unfamiliar fashion; especially those that already know the familiar tale of the Three Little Pigs.  These pigs are more independent and heroic, as the go into other familiar tales and rescue their lead characters.  The plot will at first seem familiar to the children but as the story changes they will delight in the new setting for the pigs.  When the pigs escape from the confines of their own story, it is told in way that children can understand.  They step not only out of the story but, it appears, they breakout of the book itself.

David Wiesner’s illustrations are realistic enough that when the pigs take flight from the pages, you see the pages as a concrete part of the book that they can step out of.  The drawings also tell the reader the setting by changing style as the pigs go from one story to the next.  The cat and the fiddle nursery rhyme is drawn more like a cartoon, making the pigs look like the only thing ‘real’ things in that part of the tale.  When they enter the dragon tale, the style changes again to a gothic, stained glass style.  The characters re-enter the pigs story and go back to the original style, making the rescued characters look all the more comfortable in the cozy brick pig house.

4.      Review Excerpts

2002 Caldecott Medal

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

From Kirkus Review: Starred Review. “Inventive retelling.”

From Booklist: Starred Review: “Wiesner has created 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.”

From Publishers Weekly: Starred Review. “Wiesner's brilliant use of white space and perspective evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities.”

5.      Connections

Gather other stories Caldecott medal and honor books from David Wiesner to read such as:

    Free Fall. ISBN 068810990X
    Tuesday. ISBN 0395870828
    Flotsam. ISBN 0618194576
    Sector 7. 0395746566
    Mr. Wuffles! ISBN 0618756612

Gather other classic tales referenced in the story such as:

    Marshall, James.  The Three Little Pigs. ISBN 0448422883
    Stevens, Janet and Susan Stevens Crummel.  And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon. 0544668332
    Hodges, Margaret and Trina Schart Hyman.  St George & the Dragon. ASIN B00GOH46AI

Gather other retellings of the Three Pigs such as:

    Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith.  The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.  ISBN 0140544518
    Trivizas, Eugene and Helen Oxenbury.  The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig.  ISBN 068981528X

Have children tell their own reinvented traditional tale.