Customer Reviews

The Three Little Pigs

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This story is a refreshing change from the classic version of the three pigs story. The pigs, not only have names, but they also attend school and run the family business. Neither the pigs or the big, bad, thug-like wolf get eaten. Instead, there's a humorous and positive ending to this tale. The illustrations are fun and intricate and exemplify the great Steven Kellogg style. As a reading teacher, I have used this book as part of a study of classic tales. My students particularly enjoy the humor, illustrations, and details that they can compare to other versions of the same tale. This is a great book to share with students and readers of all ages!

I've read and reviewed most of the basic tellings of "The Three Little Pigs", as well as most of the variants. Here's my take on it.

This is quite possibly the best telling of "The Three Little Pigs" out there. Although it more or less follows the traditional storyline, it expands it greatly, having the mama pig start a waffle business, making the house of sticks a more believable log cabin, and giving all the characters names and personalities. Humor abounds, particularly in the artwork, such as "Pablo Pigcasso" and a "peopley" bank. It's subtle and may take you a frew readings to notice. Very good, nice twist at the end.

In Steven Kellogg's inventive take on the storybook classic The Three Little Pigs (HarperCollins, 1997), brothers Percy, Prudence, and Pete find themselves in deep water, or perhaps syrup, when a sinister customer shows up at their town waffle cart hungry for something other than waffles. Having taken over the prospering waffle business from their mother, Sarafina Sow, the pigs are lucky enough to own individual homes in which they attempt to hide from the big, bad wolf, aptly name Tempesto. Tempesto's voracious appetite, however, moves him to violent action as he blows down not just one, but two, of their homes. Kellogg's action-packed illustrations capture the reader's eye with their attention to detail. Although younger ones may not totally take notice of the clever scenery, such as the Pablo Pigasso painting in one of the pigs' homes, they will surely smile at the book's humorous depiction of an animal village, while adults will take pleasure in the fact that the illustrations are more than just expressive colors on a page. Children will rejoice with the triumph of the miniature hog heroes of this tale and laugh out loud at the animals' comical battle involving flying watermelons and ending with a creative addition to the waffle cart's menu: the "wolffle."

Steven Kellogg did a wonderful job. My five year old wants to read it over and over and over and over again. The story and illustrations are delightful.

Steven Kellogg has been a favorite author and illustrator of mine since he visited my school library in 3rd grade--17 years ago! Now, as a first year Kindergarten teacher, I am sharing his books with my class, and they have really come alive for me, again. His traditional tale interpretations are creative, intricate and hilarious--not to mention beautiful. My favorite part of his Three Little Pigs tale is the illustration on the back jacket, which shows the wolf retired to a beach in Florida. He wears a tank top that pleads, 'thugs need hugs, too'. Also see Kellogg's version of Jack in the Beanstalk if your children love deliciously scary read-alouds!

The illustrations are all I looked at when ordering. Now I see that the text is a sweetie pie modern version, all the pigs with cute names and so on. I was hoping for the traditional story.

Don't listen to the reviewer who says that this book is violent! The most "violent" detail in the book is how the three little pigs "steam the meanness" out of the wolf using their gigantic waffle maker. Steven Kellogg spins this story with great creativity, and adds tons of hilarious details in his pictures. It is not only fun for adults to read, but the 4-year-old I read it to also loves it more than any other book I own. We enjoy looking for things we've never caught before each time we read it. This is my FAVORITE version of the story of the three little pigs, and probably the most non-violent!

Teaming The Three Little Pigs with the same story as told by the Wolf is the perfect way to introduce point of view.

My grandchildren love these fairy tale books by Stephen Kellogg. They have great illustrations and funny stories.

Once there was a mother Serafina Snow, she had 3 piglets, Percy, Pete, and Prudence. One day Serafina had a brilliant idea to start a waffle making business. Soon her piglets were enrolled at school, played basketball, and were involved in plays. When they grew up the waffle business was handed over to them. Each of them built a house; Percy built a straw house, Pete built a log cabin, and Prudence made his cottage out of bricks. One day they met a wolf named Tempesto who didnt want waffles but wanted to eat them! The wolf knocked down Percy, and Petes houses and moved on to Prudences. The three pigs bombarded him with watermelons, pumpkins, cantaloupes, grapes, and pastries. This caught Tempesto by surprise and he was knocked down. The wolf entered down the chimney but was soon turned into a waffle. In the end Percy, Pete, and Prudence married and had kids. I enjoyed this book because it gave a new idea to the story of the Three Little Pigs, it kinda jazzed it up a little and made it a little more interesting.