THE THREE HORRID LITTLE PIGS

1.  Bibliography

Pichon, Lisa. 2008.  The Three Horrid Little Pigs. Wilton, CT: Little Tiger Press.  ISBN 158925077

2.  Plot Summary

The Three Horrid Little Pigs is a retelling of the traditional tale.  Many common elements are present in this version: the wolf, the three types of houses and of course, the three little pigs.  However, in this story, the three pigs are very poorly behaved, so much so, that their mother tells them they must move out of her house to live on their own.  They meet the wolf, but he does not want to blow their house down; he only wants to help them.  In the end, the wolf reforms the pigs through his kindness, which is indeed a twist on the classic tale. 

3.  Critical Analysis

This version of the story of the three pigs is a charming read in which the wolf gets to be the “good guy.”  The lazy pigs are indeed horrid in their behavior, and as the wolf tries to help them, he also notices their poor actions and mutters things like “Oh dear” and “Goodness me!” under his breath.  These soft spoken rebukes are a part of the illustrations, so the reader is able to discover what the wolf is “really” thinking as he is trying to be helpful.  It is a subtle rebuff and does not seem overly critical. The twists and turns of the plot are very enjoyable, because they include known elements of the original folktale incorporated in a new and interesting way. 

The illustrations are done by the author herself, and they play a strong, supporting role in the book.  The pictures are colorful and vibrant, and at times the words themselves, as they wind across the page, are part of the illustration.  Every character in the book seems to have a personality, even the baby chicks as they clamor quickly away from the horrid third pig that is overtaking their coop.   The moral of the story is gently portrayed in the wolf’s kindness which ultimately leads to the pigs' behavior being a lot less horrid. 

4.  Review Excerpt (s)

School Library Journal Review:  “If you think you can't jam another twist on a classic tale into your collection, think again…The full-color cartoon illustrations capture the pigs' bad behavior and comeuppance with a goofy exuberance. The font size shrinks and enlarges to mirror the action and the text works as a fun read-aloud as well as a read-alone.”

Booklist review:  “This fractured take on the Three Little Pigs is infused with humor and lessons about community and compassion.”

5.  Connections

*This story would be an excellent version of the three pigs’ folktale to compare to the original.  Students could make a diagram of similarities and differences and discuss which story they prefer.

*Another version of the folktale is The Three Pigs by David Wiesner, a Caldecott Medal Book.