Book Review: THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE SOMEWHAT BAD WOLF by Mark Teague

Bibliography

Teague, Mark. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE SOMEWHAT BAD WOLF. New York: Orchard Books, 2013. ISBN: 0439915014

Plot Summary

A farmer and his wife are moving to Florida, so they pay their three pigs for their good work and send them on their way. The first pig buys potato chips and builds his house of straw. The second pig buys “sody-pop” and builds his house of sticks. The third pig uses her money to buy building materials and builds her house of bricks. Soon the Somewhat Bad Wolf comes into town very hungry, but has trouble finding anyone in town willing to serve him dinner. He follows his nose to the first pig’s house where the hungry wolf huffs and puffs the straw house down. The first pig runs away and the wolf moves to the second pig’s house. As the story typically goes, the wolf blows down the second pig’s house and moves to the third pig’s house, where he is unsuccessful at blowing down the brick house. With a twist to the story, the three pigs offer the hungry wolf potato chips and “sody-pop”, they all become friends, live happily together and there was, “no more huffing and puffing.”

Critical Analysis

In this fractured version of the Three Little Pigs story, Teague writes a humorous version of the traditional tale with an original ending. The illustrations are in bright textured oil paintings that complement the humor of the story and provide most of the characterization and setting. The setting is in a rural farm area and if readers pay attention to the illustrations, they will find farm characters on each page that are not directly mentioned in the story but provide some hilarity. Children should enjoy the humor, especially when the wolf exclaims, “I'm amazed that works!” after blowing down the second pig’s house. Yet older readers can appreciate the sense of humor of the pigs and the wolf and the twist at the end. Some readers might appreciate that the third pig is portrayed as a female, which is also a new spin to the traditional story.

Review Excerpt(s)

From Booklist

“Animated with drama and deadpan wit, Teague’s large-scale oil paintings show up very well from a distance, making this a good story-hour choice.”

From Kirkus

“Teague’s oil paintings are marvelously detailed and brightly colored. His pigs are full of personality, and their human traits and accessories are sure to delight.”

Book Connections

Read other books by Mark Teague:

FUNNY FARM, ISBN 0439914994.

PIGSTY, ISBN 0439598435.

THE SECRET SHORTCUT, ISBN 0439110912.

Other versions of The Three Little Pigs:

Scieszka, Jon. THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, ISBN 0140544518.

Wiesner, David. THE THREE PIGS, ISBN 0618007016.

Kellogg, Steven. THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, ISBN 0064437795.

Activities for THE THREE LITTLE PIGS AND THE SOMEWHAT BAD WOLF:

•  Write your own fractured version of the Three Little Pigs story and illustrate it.
•  Study other fractured versions of the Three Little Pigs, like Jon Scieszka’s The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, and study the different elements of each story. Use graphic organizers to map thinking and present information.
•  Reader’s Theater- Have students read the story for Reader’s Theater.
• Act out story, using props and costumes.