BOOK REVIEW #2: THE THREE LITTLE PIGS BY BARRY MOSER

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Moser, Barry. The Three Little Pigs. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2001.

ISBN: 0316585440

PLOT SUMMARY

The Three Little Pigs by Barry Moser was a classic folktale retold. It was based on the classic story of the three little pigs that tried to start out on their own by building their own houses, only to have them destroyed by the big bad wolf. Each little pig built their house, one with straw, one with sticks, and one with bricks. After each of them built their house, the big bad wolf came and destroyed each of their houses and would eat them, except for the third little pig. At the end of this particular version the third little pig beat the big bad wolf, so the wolf died and was eaten by the little pig.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Moser's folktale retold on his own terms was filled with the original version's protagonist and antagonist, which were: the pigs as the protagonists and the wolf as the antagonist. The plot followed the normal sequence with the reader being introduced to the characters and their problems, and then, the ending having the resolution. Readers found this version of the story easy to read, because it continued to follow the similar setting and plot of its original version. Time passed quickly for the reader as they kept up with the “little pig, little pig, let me in” and “I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!” and also experienced the good overcoming the evil in the end. As for style, the story had a good rhythm to it, since there was a lot of repetition within the story line.

Illustrations in the story helped the reader follow along and see clearly the actions taking place in the story. Barry Moser captured each of the important little details that took place as each of the little pigs got ready to build their house. He also depicted the wolf in a way that made the reader happy to see him outsmarted and killed in the end. All of the illustrations were also subdued enough in color with the tans, light browns, soft grays, and the white backgrounds, that the reader didn't feel overwhelmed by the actions taking place in the story. The colors only made the reader want the little pigs to capture the wolf and outsmart him even more than in other stories, because he looked so mean and happy as he ate the first two pigs.

Adults and children would appreciate the attention to detail with the illustrations in this version of The Three Little Pigs. They would also like the inventiveness of the third little pig in how he captured the wolf and ate him for dinner. These changes from the original folktale would make the readers want to read more of them, because there are so many different ways the story could be captured and made better.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

“. . . Well written and cleverly illustrated, the book is the perfect choice for replacing

tattered editions with inferior illustrations that may be cluttering library shelves or a fine

first pick for a growing library.-Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA

-School Library Journal

“Moser sticks with tradition in his retelling, but his illustrations are another snort-

inducing matter.”

- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, recommended book

CONNECTIONS

*Identify the elements of a story

*Compare and contrast the other versions of the story

*Other versions of Three Little Pigs:

Scieszka, Jon. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. ISBN: 0670827592

Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. ISBN: 068981528X