The Three Pigs, Adapted and Illustrated by David Wiesner

Title: The Three Pigs
Adaptor/Illustrator: David Wiesner
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books (April 23, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618007016
ISBN-13: 978-0618007011

Synopsis: Once upon a time, there were three pigs. One built a house of straw, one a house of sticks and one a house of bricks. One day, the wolf came to visit and blew the pig with the house of straw right out of the frame. So then the three little pigs wandered around and took a ride on a paper airplane, interfered with some other traditional tales, and sicced a giant dragon on the big bad wolf.... Wait, huh?

Review: In this fractured fairy tale from David Wiesner, the three pigs escape through the margins of their traditional tale and are soon living it up between the pages of some of the most well known fairy tales. Wiesner's rich illustrations, creative use of white space and sly sense of humor make this old tale new and fresh again. Young children will love the unexpected turn of events, while parents and older readers will delight in Wiesner's use of irony and humor to not only let the reader in on the joke, but make them a part of it, as well!

Awards/Reviews:

Caldecott Medal Winner, American Library Association

Prix Sorcières (the French equivalent of the Caldecott Medal)

IBBY Honour Book nomination for illustration

"In his latest flight of fancy, Wiesner uses shifting illustration styles and fonts to startle complacent readers into an imaginary world even as they ponder the conventional structure of story. His trademark crafty humor and skewed perspectives will tickle readers pink (even the nonporcine variety)!" Amazon.com

"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." Publishers Weekly

Connections:

Before reading David Wiesner’s The Three Pigs, ask your students to tell the story of The Three Little Pigs as they know it. Are there variations in the stories they tell? Or, as it says on the jacket of Wiesner’s book, is it a story where, “every time someone tells it the same thing happens”?

After reading the story, ask students to come up with other stories they'd like to see "fractured". Have the students speculate on what could happen in some of those stories.

Compare with students the original version of this story, Wiesner's version and other "fractured" versions that have been published. Ask students what is different and what is the same? Which one do they think the pigs would like best? Have them draw pictures of their favorite parts as a way to connect words and the imagery they depict.

For more ideas, visit http://www.teachingbooks.net/content/Wiesner_activity_guide.pdf