World Famous Comics: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
By: Jon Scieszka Publisher: Puffin Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Puffin Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 32 Publication Date: March 01, 1996 Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Product Description: is presented from the humorous perspective of a beleaguered wolf, whose innocent requests to borrow cups of sugar are rendered cataclysmic by a snoutful of unfortunate sneezes. Reprint. NYT. AB. NYT.
Amazon.com Review: Did the story of the three little pigs ever seem slightly biased to you? All that huffing and puffing--could one wolf really be so unequivocally evil? Finally, we get to hear the rest of the story, "as told to author Jon Scieszka," straight from the wolf's mouth. As Alexander T. Wolf explains it, the whole Big Bad Wolf thing was just a big misunderstanding. Al Wolf was minding his own business, making his granny a cake, when he realized he was out of a key ingredient. He innocently went from house to house to house (one made of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks) asking to borrow a cup of sugar. Could he help it if he had a bad cold, causing him to sneeze gigantic, gale-force sneezes? Could he help it if pigs these days use shabby construction materials? And after the pigs had been ever-so-accidentally killed, well, who can blame him for having a snack?
As with The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, (another stellar collaboration by Scieszka and illustrator Lane Smith), children who know all the old stories by heart will delight in reading impudent new versions. Here, Scieszka's text is clever, savvy, and tabloid-quick, and Smith's stretchy-strange illustrations complete this funny, irreverent, thoroughly original tale. (Ages 4 to 8)
HIlarious Well, if this isn't now just a modern kid classic? And frankly, I can't resist it either. I'm sorry, but I find this ridiculously funny with it's subtle reworking of key story phrases, the tabloid-style pictures, and the quirky, personable writing.
A Fresh and Funny Perspective "Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story."
This is what Alexander T. Wolf (but you can call him "Al") tells to pseudo-biographer Jon Scieszka at the start of this tale of the "real story" behind what happened between Al and that irksome triad of swine, the Three Little Pigs. Al claims that how it all got started was with "a sneeze and a cup of sugar" and things just got blown (literally) out of proportion from there.
You see, one day Al had a nasty cold that had him sneezing himself into oblivion. He was also baking a cake for his dear old granny for her birthday, ran out of sugar, so decided to go to his neighbors for help (what, there's not a corner store in Al's neck of the woods?). Those neighbors happen to be pigs and poor craftsmen at that - Al manages to knock down two of the pigs' houses (one of straw, one of sticks) with those gigantic sneezes of his. He then eats the deceased so they "don't spoil" and then moves on to the last house (made of brick) to plead for that cup of sugar he so desperately needs. The pig in the brick house denies him passage AND sugar, inciting Al's anger with a nasty little comment about his grandmother. This has Al seething and when the authorities roll up, he is sneezing uncontrollably and with great force whilst trying to break down the door. The media frenzy this creates gives Al the "Big Bad" moniker he has had to this day, a misnomer this entire story has sought to discredit.
But how are you gonna trust a wolf behind bars?
Scieszka's amusing take on the hapless villain of this oldest-of-old fairytales is just as amusing for the adult as it is for the young reader. Lane Smith's illustrations are spectacular, designing Al as the everyman (or should I say "everywolf") with a demure sweatervest, bowtie and studious-looking spectacles. What little we see of the pigs (other than their shiny rear ends paired with fork and knife) isn't nice - they are literally painted as antagonists, for we aren't meant to sympathize with them in this story.
Bottom line: This is a great children's book to own (I read it myself when I was a child and loved it), especially if you and/or your child are familiar with the original story. It will provide a fresh and funny perspective time and time again.
The Truth, Will Blow You Down! Fractured Fairy Tales are quite common, but what is not are good ones! I mean anyone who has had the misfortune of reading the Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig will know how bad this genre can get. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is very well written leaving the reader to ponder if the wolf was indeed framed as his jail cell confession would have us believe. Basically his good nature, wish to bake a cake for his grandma and his illness of a severe cold put him behind bars. Not to mention an evil pig and the even more evil media.
I thought the illustrations were a little bit graphic novelly (adult comic booky) and not as well done as they could be or appropriate for a kids book. Especially A. Wolf who doesn't look too much like a wolf at all let alone the fairy tale image of one. That's the only detrimental thing I can find in this book though. Fact remains though that it does have a great story.
If you like the alternative wolf point of view also check out Whatever Happened to ....?: The Ultimate Sequels Book where the wolf tells his version of events not just from Three Little Pigs but Red Riding Hood and Peter as well.
Also check out Porkenstein the sequel to the Three Little Pigs where the remaining, and now very lonely pig decides to make a new friend.
Peter and the Wolf: Carnival of the Animals, Pt. II is a narrative tale on CD and is the funniest parody of a fairy tale ever done, it's by "Weird Al" Yankovic.
A VERY FUNING BOOK THE FIRST TIME I READ THIS BOOK I WAS WOKING IN A DAYCARE CENTER ONE OF THE CHIRDEN BOUGH IT IN AND SINCE THEN IT BECAME MY FAVORITE CHILDREN BOOKS BECAUSE IT IS VERY FUNNING.
great I don't know one child who doesn't love this book--a wonderful addition to your library.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
