Customer Reviews

The Three Little Pigs (Favorite Tale, Ladybird)

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4 star:		(1)
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Billed as a "First Favorite Tale", this version is not one I would read to very young children as an introduction to this timeless classic.

While nicely illustrated, there are several strange deviations from the story I grew up with, and since I'm sure everyone already knows the plot, a few spoilers may be permissible here.

Firstly, the pigs leave their mother's house purportedly to see the world, but before they are out of sight of the apron strings, they commandeer prime roadside real estate and begin construction of dwellings, some of which are certainly not up to building code spec.

Secondly, it's become a little too politically correct, as the second little pig has now become female, with a little flower in her hat and a burning desire to live in a house made of sticks, which of course she constructs with her bare hands.

Thirdly, and very disturbingly, the pigs that are huffed and puffed at, and made homeless by the big bad wolf do not scamper off to safety, but meet their tragic ends in the form of wolf snacks.

Fourthly, my four year old was very surprised that the wolf bothered to huff and puff at a brick wall, when the illustration shows the third pig relaxing behind a very large glass door, which would have provided a much more convenient entryway for a blowhard wolf.

Then, to make the story longer, the remaining pig and the wolf start making little play dates, with the pig outsmarting the wolf three times using the same method.

Finally, after besting the wolf at the final showdown, the last pig dances around enjoying his fine house of bricks without a tear of remorse for his fallen siblings.

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the happier version, as this one is just too violent for the intended audience.

Amanda Richards, April 20, 2005

A nice sized edition for travel but don't choose this particular translation for the under 5's. The wolf gobbles up the pigs and then ends his "career" as the big bad wolf in a pot of boiling water. A little too intense for the littler ones.