The three little pigs

James Marshall, 1942-1992

Book - 1989

Retells the familiar tale in which one of three brother pigs survives a wolf's attacks by using his head and planning well.

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jE/Marshall
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Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room jE/Marshall Due Apr 12, 2024
Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers c1989.
Language
English
Main Author
James Marshall, 1942-1992 (-)
Physical Description
unpaged : ill
ISBN
9781435209923
9780613301565
9780803705913
9780803705944
Contents unavailable.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

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. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Fiction: NF Age: K-3 When James Marshall rolls up his sleeves and reaches for a familiar tale, veteran readers should know by now to brace themselves for a round of hilarity. Review, p. 781. Horn Rating: Superior, well above average. Reviewed by: kj (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

An ebullient raconteur (Red Riding Hood, 1987, etc.) takes on another favorite nursery tale, spicing up its basic broth with his own inimitably flavored dialogue and visualization. From their mother's send-off (""Now be sure to write, and remember that I love you""), character is well established: #1 and #2 are dressed as insouciant hobos, while our hero, #3, sports a vested suit as well as bowler, briefcase, and cane. The first two pigs get warnings here (""I'd think twice about that,"" cautions the man with sticks when he hears about #2's projected house), but are duly eaten. The third, unctuously tricking the wolf at every turn (""Why don't we meet there? Would three o'clock suit you?""), survives to eat the wolf in the best classic tradition. A delightfully witty rendition, honoring the old tale while giving it a fresh new look. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.