The Three Little Pigs [Hardcover]

James Marshall (Adapter, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

James Marshall, a 1989 Caldecott Honor winner for Goldilocks and the Three Bears, is witty and wily once again as he enchances The Three Little Pigs with ingenious details that will delight young readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers who grin when they pick up this title can be forgiven for correctly anticipating amusing antics within, especially if they are familiar with Marshall's other half-fractured fairy tales (including Goldilocks and the Three Bears , a Caldecott Honor book). Deadpan as ever, Marshall begins this one in a traditional way: the old sow sends her piglets off into the big world. Despite the protests of the tradesmen who sell them materials, both the first and second pig construct their flimsy houses of straw and sticks. In short order, they are gobbled up by the wolf. The pig who invests in bricks, of course, does the gobbling when he encounters the wolf, after a merry mass of near misses that blithely build suspense. There are fairy tales, and there are Marshall's tales. Readers can also be forgiven for preferring his over all the rest. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-- Marshall brings his own brand of humor to both text and pictures in this retelling of the popular nursery tale . He retains the classic format of the tale, including all of the familiar phrases ("I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in"), but his own asides make the story fresh and lively. For example, when the first little pig decides to build a house of straw, and the straw seller warns, "That's not a good idea," he expresses just what all the worldly wise six- and seven-year-old readers will be thinking. Without a word of description, the colorful cartoon illustrations in ink and watercolor give the three pigs separate personalities. The lazy pig builds a house of straw which takes him "no time at all," and the artistic pig, a stick house which is "very pretty." The wolf, with his slouching posture and shifty, yellow eyes, looks just the sort of character who would lose his temper and jump down the chimney when force and tricks fail to capture the third little pig. Good stories can be retold endlessly, and Marshall's inventive version of The Three Little Pigs is an excellent addition for all library picture-book collections. --Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KY
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (September 29, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803705913
• ISBN-13: 978-0803705913
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,979,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James Marshall (1942-1992) created dozens of exuberant and captivating books for children, including THE STUPIDS, MISS NELSON IS MISSING!, and the ever-popular GEORGE AND MARTHA books. Before creating his canon of classic, hilarious children's books, James Marshall played the viola, studied French, and received a master's degree from Trinity College. He also doodled. It was the doodles, and the unforgettable characters that emerged from them, that led him to his life's work as one of the finest creators of children's books of the twentieth century. In 2007, James Marshall was posthumously awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder medal for his lasting contribution to literature for children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As fabulous as the others, October 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Three Little Pigs (Hardcover)

I just couldn't bear to let a middle school kid give this book an "average customer review" of one star. This book is a side-splitter. Absolutely hysterical. My children were rolling on the floor. Also get Marshall's "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and "Red Riding Hood" for a set of some of the best retellings ever. Marshall's wry sense of humor makes him a favorite in our home school.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars every child should read a least one book about the 3 pigs, April 25, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Three Little Pigs (Reading Railroad Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

My 2.5 year old loves this book. Now he asks everyone what their house is made of.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Little Pigs, James Marshall, February 24, 2009

By 

Pamela Austin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Three Little Pigs (Reading Railroad Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

I love James Marshall books. I am a grandma and I collect them for myself. I even read them to my grandchildren. We like the humor. I am charmed by the great illustrations.