The Three Pigs

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wiesner, David. The Three Pigs. New York: Clarion Books, 2001.  ISBN 0618007016

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This book begins with the original tale of the three little pigs. After blowing down the houses of the first two pigs, the reader finds the wolf at the third pig’s brick house ready to finish the traditional story. However, in a unique twist, the three pigs have managed to step out of their storybook. They fold the pages into a paper airplane and eventually end up in a nursery rhyme. After leaving that story with a new friend, the cat and the fiddle, they jump into a different fairy tale. This time, they save a dragon from a knight and again end up outside of the storybook. Finally, they see the third pig’s brick house and decide to put their story back together so that they can go home. With their new friends in tow, they all get to live happily ever after.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This fractured fairy tale begins with the original story, and most students will be able to “huff and puff” right along with the well known repetition. These pigs, however, get to go on a new adventure as the setting shifts from the woods where their homes were built to the freedom of empty pages with paper airplanes and finally into other stories.  This interesting and unexpected take on the original is fun for older readers who may see the traditional story as boring or a “baby” book but would be able to make deep text connections between this tale and the original or even another version or variant.

The illustrations in this book are masterful. The change from a classic flat style picture while within a story to artwork that has an almost lifelike look on the pages outside of the story, not only enhances the visual quality of the book but also advances the plot to show the character development the pigs undergo. Wiesner gives them a freedom to explore outside of the book in blank white spaces where excitement and joy and clearly visible on their faces. There are also many subtleties within the illustrations, like the facial expression of the wolf when the pig is blown out of the story but the text says he "ate the pig up," that could easily be overlooked by an inexperienced reader. Therefore, young and even fast readers may not notice, understand, or connect with all of the details in the book. This is definitely a book where reading the pictures is just as important as reading the text.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2002 CALDECOTT MEDAL

2002 IRMA BLACK AWARD

From Kate McClelland, chair of the 2002 Caldecott Award Selection Committee: "Witty dialogue and physical humor make this a selection that will have youngsters squealing with delight. ”

From Publisher’s Weekly: “Wiesner's...brilliant use of white space and perspective...evokes a feeling that the characters can navigate endless possibilities--and that the range of story itself is limitless.”

From School Library Journal: “Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other Caldecott award winners and honors such as:

•                   Stevens, Janet. Tops and Bottoms. ISBN 0152928510

•                   McDermott, Gerald. Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest. ISBN 0152656618

Gather other books by Wiesner such as:

•                      Mr. Wuffles. ISBN 0618756612

•                      Tuesday. ISBN 0395870828

Gather other versions, variants, or adaptations of The Three Little Pigs such as:

•                      Scieszka, Jon. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. ISBN 0140544518

•                      Brett, Jan. The 3 Little Dassies. ISBN 0399254994

•                      Kimmel, Eric. The Three Little Tamales.  ISBN 0761455191

Pair this book with a version or variant to teach a compare and contrast lesson.

Rumpelstiltskin

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zelinsky, Paul O. Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 1986.  ISBN 0140558640

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This story is a retelling of the classic Grimm fairytale. A miller brags to the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold, and she is taken to the castle to prove her ability. Learning that she will be killed if she is unable to complete the task, she begins to cry. A small man enters the room and offers to help for a price. The following two nights find the girl in an increasingly larger room with an increasingly higher price, ultimately her first born child. After successfully spinning all of the straw into gold, the greedy king makes her his queen. One year later they have a baby, and the man returns for his payment. He offers to let her keep the child if she can learn his name. With the help of a servant, she finds out his name and is able to keep her child. In a rage, the little man flies out the window and is never seen again.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story is a variant of the original Grimm fairytale from 1819. The setting, while vague, is obviously many years ago in the time of kings and castles. The plot is rather straightforward and repetitive with the girl having to spin straw night after night and the man appearing and offering help. One interesting thing to note is that the characters are not definitely good or definitely evil. The king is greedy, but marries the girl and she becomes queen. The little man is helpful, but requests more extravagant payments each night for his service. The girl seems to be caught in the middle of an impossible situation, but with the help of a servant, outwits the man and does not have to keep her end of the deal.

The illustrations in this book are oil paintings over watercolor underpaintings that beautifully depict the time period. From the very beginning, the colors on each page have golden yellow undertones that create a subconscious connection to the gold which is the catalyst for the events that unfold. This dreamy, often romanticized time comes through in the artwork from the landscape and clothing to Rumpelstiltskin himself who appears as a helpful but unusual elf like man, not the creepy scary character that is often drawn or imagined in other tales. The emotions of each character are visible through explicit facial expressions as the story progresses and the events change. These beautiful illustrations help a reader to develop a deeper understanding of the story without additional explanation through written text.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

1987 CALDECOTT HONOR MEDAL

SLJ Best Book, ALA Notable Book, Parents’ Choice Award

From Publishers Weekly: "One of the most exquisite picture books of the season, Zelinsky's Rumpelstiltskin will have strong appeal for children and for adult picture-book collectors alike.”

From School Library Journal: “Zelinsky's smooth retelling and glowing pictures cast the story in a new and beautiful light.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other Caldecott award winners or honors in traditional literature such as:

•                      Scieszka, Jon. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. ISBN 067084487X

•                      Hyman, Trina. Little Red Riding Hood. ISBN 0823406539

Gather other fairy tales retold or illustrated by Zelinsky such as:

•                      Rapunzel. ISBN 0142301930

•                      Lesser, Rika. Hansel and Gretel. ISBN 0698114078

Gather other versions, variants, or adaptations of Rumpelstiltskin such as:

•                      Shurtliff, Liesl. Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin. ISBN 030797796X

•                      Galdone, Paul. Rumpelstiltskin. ISBN 0395525993

•                      Sage, Alison. Rumpelstiltskin..  ISBN 0803709080

The Fisherman and the Turtle

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric. The Fisherman and the Turtle. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2008.  ISBN 0761453873

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This is an Aztec version of the Grimm tale about the fisherman and his greedy wife. One day, a poor Aztec fisherman catches a magical turtle that promises to grant a wish if he is let go. Initially, the fisherman wishes only for a large catch of fish, but upon returning home and telling of the magic turtle, the man’s wife becomes angry and sends him back to wish for riches. The man finds the turtle who grants the wish, but the wife is still not happy. She continually sends her husband back for more and more wealth and power, but he grows weary of her demands. Her final request to be a god sends the man back to the turtle where he admits that he just wants to go home and have his wife stop asking for more. Both wishes are then granted. The man returns to his hut, and his wife becomes a statue like all of the other gods.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This story is a classic lesson of being grateful for what one has and being careful about making wishes. As is common in traditional literature, the setting is established immediately in the distant past, “Long ago in the days of the Aztecs.” The fisherman and his wife are typical archetypes where the husband is good and the wife is greedy. These character traits do not change throughout the story, and the wife comes to a very tragic end. The plot of this story is very traditional and does not vary from the Grimm tale. There is a repeated pattern of behavior until the final and abrupt ending. The reader is able to learn a lesson, good triumphs over evil, and the story ends happily or cautionary depending on your perspective.

The illustrations and color choices perfectly complement this book and appear accurate and appropriate for depicting the Aztec culture. From an historical perspective, the buildings, from the small hut near the water to the palace in Tenochtitlan, and the clothing, from peasant to king, are drawn with incredible detail that is representative of the different classes that would have existed within this society. Based on what we know about the Aztec empire, the animal and crop illustrations as well as the dugout canoe, the fishing gear, and even the plants and weather are also historically and culturally accurate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From Booklist: "The vivid colors of the acrylic-and-watercolor illustrations and pages bordered with motifs from Aztec art give the tale an authentic flavor. A good choice to introduce children to a culture underrepresented in picture books.”

From School Library Journal: “Aviles uses acrylics and liquid watercolor, as well as motifs from Aztec art, in the brightly patterned illustrations. She changes the placid, blue-green sea in the opening pages to a truly frightful place at the end. Kimmel reminds readers that "the great turtle still swims in the sea" and asks what they might wish for.”

From Kirkus Reviews: “This welcome variant is well-suited to reading aloud, discussion and comparison.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other Kimmel books to read such as:

•                      The Three Little Tamales. ISBN 0761455191

•                      Anansi Goes Fishing. ISBN 0823410226

•                      The McElderry Book of Greek Myths. ISBN 1416915346

Gather other books about the Aztec empire such as:

•                      Abnett, Dan. Hernan Cortes and the Fall of the Aztec Empire. ISBN 1404233911

•                      MacDonald, Fiona. You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice. ISBN 0531238555

•                      Mathews, Sally S. The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss.  ISBN 0618117458

Use as a guidance lesson on being thankful.

Use as a poetry lesson to teach rhyme and stanza.

Use with a social studies unit on European explorers and ancient cultures, specifically the Aztecs.

That is Not a Good Idea

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Willems, Mo. That is Not a Good Idea!. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, 2013.  ISBN 9780062203090.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This is the story of a hungry fox who invites a goose to go on a walk. The goose agrees, against the protestations of several baby geese. The fox leads her into the woods and eventually to his kitchen where they prepare water for soup, each time against the advice of the baby geese. The fox finally tries to trick the goose to get her into the pot, but he gets pushed in instead. The baby geese reiterate that they warned him and then enjoy a bowl of soup.  

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is an incredibly humorous story with a little twist at the end. From the beginning, readers are led to feel concerned about the invitation that the sweet goose accepts from the sly fox. Tension builds as the baby geese send out warning after warning, but it isn’t until the end that readers determine for whom the warning was actually intended.

The book is filled with wonderful full page illustrations. All characters appear in simple colors with expressive faces and unique details in each scene. The dialogue of the main characters is written on black pages with white print. This style is reminiscent of silent movies where evil villains often prey on sweet innocent female victims. Readers can almost hear the increasingly frantic warnings from the baby geese, but just like in a movie the victim doesn’t listen. Observant readers may also find some of Willems’ other characters hiding throughout the book.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From School Library Journal: "This charmer is lovingly composed as an homage to silent movies and the concept of picture books as the "theater of the lap."”

From Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “Kids will clamor for a re-viewing and be pleased to note that the book cleverly sets itself up for the story going either way. This is also a delight to voice, with the goslings particularly enjoyable to act out.”

From Kirkus Reviews: “Exceptionally observant readers may anticipate the twist, but that won't spoil the enjoyment of this fun-loving fractured fable. Minimal text makes this book ideal for read-alouds and discussions of fable and fairy-tale motifs. Pure glee.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other humorous books such as:

•                      Klassen, Jon. I Want My Hat Back. ISBN 0763655988

•                      Reynolds, Aaron. Creepy Carrots. ISBN 9781442402973

Gather other books by Mo Willems such as:

•                      Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. ISBN 9780786819881

•                      There is a Bird on Your Head. ISBN 9781423106869

•                      Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. ISBN 9780786818709

•                      Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs. ISBN 9780062104182

Use as a mentor text for a writing lesson about a time you made a bad decision.

Use with a primary level science unit on safety rules and procedures.