Book Review (Traditional Literature): The Three Pigs

Bibliography
Wiesner, David. 2001. THE THREE PIGS. Clarion Books: New York. ISBN 0618007016

Summary
Instead of getting eaten, The Three Pigs embark on an adventure outside of the story. They find a couple of friends along the way, including the Cat and the Fiddle and a rescued dragon. They return to the third pigs brick house with their new friends, and are able to defeat the wolf.

Critical Analysis
In this version of the classic The Three Pigs, David Wiesner provides a twist to the story by having the pigs leave the traditional story instead of getting eaten by the hungry wolf. The setting of the story starts traditionally as the pigs go out to make their way in the world, but then they leave the traditional story and visit other books, for example a nursery rhyme book. At the end of Wiesner's version, the pigs return to the original setting after visiting other places. The theme of Wiesner's version remains the same, with good triumphing over evil. The illustrations uniquelly portray the story by showing the readers the actions instead of telling them. For example, instead of getting eaten, it appears the pigs crawl out of the book. This version of The Three Pigs is different from the traditional version because with the traditional version, the story can be clearly conveyed without illustrations; whereas with Wiesner's version, meaning would be lost without the illustrations. Also, with Wiesner's version, there are no cultural references that give children insight in to different cultures or beliefs.

Review Excerpt(s) and Awards
Out of the familiar world of the traditional porcine trio illustrated in the traditional style slink Wiesner's pigs, moving the pages of the story about, folding them into paper airplanes, and sailing into other familiar tales. They pick up a friendly dragon along with other friends as they reconstruct their own happy ending. Wiesner delights in deconstructing pages of illustrations and treating them as building materials. His porkers have real personalities! They also are performers, delivering their lines in speech balloons. Their glide along the empty pages is almost brazen. Their adventure is surreal for sure, but done with joy and bravado that demand repeated visits to experience it all. -Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)

Caldecott Award Winner, 2001

Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the strengths of David Wiesner's The Three Pigs is that it portrays a different take on the traditional tale of The Three Pigs. Children will enjoy hearing a different version from the original tale. There are several weaknesses with this book. The first weakness is the lack of any cultural reference. Another waekness is that to fully understand the story, the pictures must be shown, which steers away from the oral tradition of this form of literature.

Personal Response and Connections
I thought this version of The Three Pigs was fresh and inviting to readers that are familiar to the original story. I like how the illustrations told much of the story, I especially liked the three pigs gliding through the air on a page of the book.

This story could be used as a compare and contrast lesson for students. Also, students could be invited to remake other classic stories in their own way.