The Three Silly Billies (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Barry Moser (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3–The creators of Earthquack! (S & S, 2002) tackle The Three Billy Goats Gruff with gusto. On the way to the beach, the Three Silly Billies are stopped at a small wooden bridge by a rude troll sporting oversize boots and a hard hat marked Trollgate Plaza. The goats can't scrape together the toll so they pool their funds with those of the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and a skateboarding Jack returning to his mother with some beans. Painted in cheery watercolors, Moser's figures are in contemporary dress and pop out from the white backgrounds. There is plenty of visual humor: the contents of Red's basket are a hoot (e.g., Wulfbanex cream, makeup, and a cell phone) and Baby Bear's T-shirt reads Jus Rite. In the end, a hungry green giant gives the troll his comeuppance and the final picture shows an Under new management. sign on the bridge. Palatini's hip and punny text is fun to read aloud, and listeners will silently total the dimes and pennies as they mount toward the required dollar. For an enjoyable storytime, pair this offering with Alma Flor Ada's Yours Truly, Goldilocks (S & S, l998) or Diane Stanley's The Giant and the Beanstalk (HarperCollins, 2004) and invite children to recall even more folktale and nursery-rhyme connections.–Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. The pair who created Earthquack! (2002) reunite for riotous fun as several fairy tales fracture in a wild picture-book disaster. A grumpy, stumpy, hideous toll-bridge troll demanding money stops not only the three silly billy goats but also the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, and a furious Jack from crossing the river. To best the monster, the travelers must join together to pool their resources. The sounds of the words and the puns ("Hey, Red, don't be blue") are as much fun as the quarrels, and Moser's big watercolor portraits show angry standoffs between characters that put a contemporary spin on a tale about a monster: the troll wears a hard hat; the goats sport cool sunglasses; and Red Riding Hood has painted toenails and a hammer, as well as a makeup brush, in her basket. Great for storytelling, especially for kids familiar with the original tales. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689858620
• ISBN-13: 978-0689858628
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #518,402 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars clever and funny story, October 3, 2005

By	mamareadssomuch "mamareadssomuch" - See all my reviews

This book is a riot ~ my 6yr old and I loved this book. It mixes several popular fairy tales into one and is a gem for a children's library.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Make sure your child is familiar with all the classic stories first or this story will be lost on them..., June 13, 2006

By	Readaloud "mom to many" (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews

My young child didn't have a clue what this book was about. Beyond that, this story is just not my style. The troll in the book talks like this, " You need a reality check, junior" or "I want my money you four-legged buttinskis" or "Just show me the money". This book is quite a bit too contemporary in heart and style for my taste.

5.0 out of 5 stars So funny!, August 30, 2009

By	Stacey L. Martin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read this to my students and they thought that it was hilarious. Some things were way over their head-- since they are in second grade but they ask for me to read it over and over again!