The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Scieszka, Jon.  1989.  THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS.  Ill. by Lane Smith.  New York:  Viking Penguin. ISBN  0670827592

PLOT SUMMARY

THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS is a version of the original story told from Al's point of view.  A. Wolf was making a birthday cake for his sweet Granny when he realized he needed a cup of sugar.  He does what anyone would do and walks to his neighbor’s house to see if he can borrow a cup of sugar.  While there, he has a sneezing fit and accidentally blows the pig’s house over and kills the pig.  Not wanting to waste good meat, he decides to eat the pig.  He still needs a cup of sugar so he walks to the next neighbor’s house.  While there, he gets another sneezing fit and again accidentally blows the house down and kills another pig.  Even though he was full, he didn’t want to see good meat go bad, so he ate this pig as well.  The third pig told him he didn’t have sugar and as Al was walking away, the pig starting talking bad about his Granny.  This aggravated Al so he tried to break into the pig’s house.  This is when the police showed up and of course they only listened to the pig’s side of the story.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This comical version of The Three Little Pigs is told from a new point of view.  While this book is funny for those that know the original story, it might be confusing for students who are not familiar with the more traditional version. Although it strays from the original storyline, you can still see how it follows the more traditional versions.  I enjoyed seeing how Scieszka got most of the more famous lines into Al’s version of the story.  The straw house and the stick house get blown down by his “huffing and puffing,” but Al was only at their houses to borrow a cup of sugar.  It’s not his fault the houses fall down because “who in his right mind would build a house of straw?”  The second pig won’t let Al in because he is “shaving the hairs on my chinny chin chin.”

The water color illustrations from this book seem more abstract than illustrations I’ve seen in other books.  These illustrations really help tell the wolf’s side of the story.  You see him whistling while he walks down the path to the first pig’s house as he tossing his cup into the air.  It makes it seem as if the wolf doesn’t have a care in the world.  The illustrations also make the third pig seem like the villain by the look on his face while the wolf is just trying to keep from sneezing. 

REVIEW EXCERPT

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “Designed with uncommon flair, this gaily newfangled version of the classic tale takes sides with the villain.”

CONNECTIONS

-Use when studying point of view

-Have students re-write another well known story from a different point of view.

-Discuss with students when studying how the media often only tells one side of the story.

The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story retold by Joseph Bruchac

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bruchac, Joseph.  1993.  THE FIRST STRAWBERRIES: A CHEROKEE STORY.  Ill. by Anna Vojtech.  New York:  Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN  0803713312

PLOT SUMMARY

THE FIRST STRAWBERRIES is a retelling of a Cherokee folktale.  In this version the first man and woman are living happily together enjoying each other’s company until the husband gets upset when his wife decides to pick flowers instead of cook dinner and speaks very harshly to her.  The wife decides to leave her husband and walks away as fast as she can.  The husband goes after her but can’t catch her so the sun takes pity him and tries to help him.  The sun puts raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in front of the woman in an attempt to get her to stop so the husband can catch her.  In her anger, she passes each of them by.  But, when the sun puts creates a brand new fruit, strawberries, and places them in front of her she stops to admire and taste them.  They are so sweet that they remind her of how happy she was with her husband before they argued.  As she is picking some to share with her husband he is able to catch up to her and apologize.  This story reminds us to be kind to those we love and that friendship and respect are as sweet as the taste of strawberries.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I found several versions of this story online.  They all had the same plot line with only slight variations.  Some had the man and woman arguing over different things, in some the man chased the woman immediately and in others he waited until nightfall.  All the stories had the same moral at the end that eating strawberries reminds us to be sweet and kind to each other.

It is interesting to me to see how in this story the first man and first woman resemble members of the Cherokee tribe.  As I was thinking through this I decided that the first man and woman probably look different in every culture.  They portray the characteristics of that culture with their skin tone, hair color and body shape.

The pictures in this book help tell the story, but I do not think they are as good as other illustrations I have seen.  You could see how the characters felt by the expressions on their faces and that the sun wanted to help them reconcile, but the scenery seemed fairly plain.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “This legend explains the origins of strawberries, grown by the sun to help the first man and woman patch a quarrel

KIRKUS review: “Quietly luminous watercolors capture details of dress, dwelling, implements, flora, and fauna against an open landscape of rolling hills.

CONNECTIONS

-Read with students when learning about how to treat each other

-Have students research other Indian folktales

Noah's Ark by Jerry Pinkney

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pinkney, Jerry.  2002.  Noah’s Ark.  Ill. by Jerry Pinkney.  New York:  Seastar Books. ISBN  1-58717-202-X

PLOT SUMMARY

Noah’s Ark is a retelling of a story from the Bible. God is not pleased with how His people are treating themselves and each other.  As a result he decides to flood the earth to “sweep away all living things.”  Noah has found favor with God and is commanded to build an ark and fill it with his family and two of every living animal.  Although he is ridiculed, Noah continues building the ark and filing it with food and animals.  As it starts to rain he gathers his family in the ark and closes the door.  It rains for 40 days and nights and all the land is flooded.  After the flood waters have receded and Noah’s family has left the ark, God makes a promise to never flood the earth again.  He gave us the rainbow as a reminder of his promise.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this Caldecott Honor retelling of a well-known Bible story, Jerry Pinkney brings the words to life with this watercolor and pencil artwork.  Children will be able to learn more about the culture during this time by studying the clothing the people are wearing and how they are working.  If you are familiar with this story, you are able to experience the story through the artwork without even reading the words.  Children will begin to understand the vastness of the ark by reading “it rose of their heads, it rose over the treetops” and studying the artwork in the book.

After looking through several translations of the Bible, I have found that this version follows the original storyline very closely.  There are minor changes, but nothing that changes the overall moral of the story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “Pinkney unfurls some of the finest illustrations of his career in this lush, not-to-be-missed version of the perennially popular Bible story.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Pinkney provides a fresh perspective on an often-interpreted story without introducing unusual characters.”

CONNECTIONS

-Read with children to help teach the story of Noah’s Ark

-Compare and contrast different versions of the story

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

  

Bibliography
Sendak, Maurice. 1963. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. Ill. by Maurice Sendak. Scranton, PA: HarperCollins. ISBN 0064431789
 

Plot Summary
In this Caldecott Medal winner, Max, a mischevious boy playing in his wolf suit, gets sent to bed without his supper for talking rudely to his mother.  While in his room trees start to grow and a jungle is formed.  He travels across the ocean and arrives at the land of the wild things, where he is quickly appointed king of where the wild things are.  After a while he gets lonely and decides it time to come home.  When he gets back to his room he discovers that supper is there waiting for him, and it’s still warm.
 

Critical Analysis
Sendak writes about a boy who is upset about being sent to his room “without his supper.”  Children will relate to Max as he “travels” away from his house when he gets into trouble.

The whimsical illustrations in this book will make children want to read this book over and over.  While he makes the “Wild Things” look like monsters, they are not too scary for young children.  Sendak does a great job showing how Max’s feelings change throughout the book.  Children will be able to identify with Max when he is mad and is sent to his room, happy when he is having fun during the “wild rumpus,” and lonely when he remembers he’s away from his family. 
 

Review Excerpts
Winner of the Caldecott Medal
 

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “This simply written but subtle book became a classic not only because it legitimized children's angry feelings and their ability to use their imaginations to deal with those feelings but also because it showed punishment and love coexisting in a parent-child relationship.”
 

Connections
*Parents can talk with children about how they feel when they get in trouble.
*Teachers can read this book with their students and have them draw their own “wild things.”

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

 

Biblioghrapy
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON. Ill. by Kevin Henkes. Scranton, PA: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0060588284
 

Plot Summary
Kitten sees her first full moon and she mistakes it as a big bowl of milk.  Kitten tries to reach the bowl of milk by first jumping for it, then chasing it, and finally trying to climb up to it.  She ends up wet, sad, tired, and hungry and still hasn’t gotten her bowl of milk.  Finally, Kitten gives up and goes back home where she discovers what she was looking for was at home all along.
 

Critical Analysis
Henkes uses imagery to help us follow Kitten on her journey.  As children listen to this book they are able to picture Kitten running and jumping and imagine how she never gets closer to the moon.  Children of all ages can relate to Kitten as she tries to get her bowl of milk “down the sidewalk, through the garden, past the field, and by the pond.”

Henkes black and white drawings and use of the page are able to captivate young children.  The drawings of Kitten staring at the moon after each attempt help you feel what the cat is feeling when she never got closer to the moon.  The paneling on some pages really brings the story to life.  It almost seems as if Kitten is jumping off the page.   
 

Review Excerpts
Winner of The Caldecott Medal
 

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The rhythmic text and delightful artwork ensure storytime success.”
 

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Henkes creates another winner in this simple, charming story about a naive little kitten who mistakes a round, shining moon for a bowl of milk.”
 

Connections
*Discuss with students what the moon likes at different times during the month

*Discuss with students a time when they really wanted something or tried really hard to get it.  What did they do, how did they feel?

Grump by Janet Wong

Bibliography

Wong, Janet. 2001. GRUMP. Ill. by John Wallace. New York, New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN 0689834853

Plot Summary

In a picture book all parents and children can relate to, Janet Wong writes about a mother going through a day with her baby. She describes how mom feels as she cleans up baby’s mess and as baby decides not to take a nap. The ending of this book will make parents and their children smile. This book reminds us that even though moms get tired and grumpy, they still love their babies.

Critical Analysis

Wong uses repetition in this book to make a point. When mom is ready for baby to take a nap she says “Baby’s going to take a nap now, Baby’s going to take a nap now, Baby’s going to take a nap now. Take a nap now, little lump.” She also uses contrast to show the difference between the “smart, good Baby” and the “tired and frumpy, Grouchy chumpy” mom. The rhyming of the –mp words in this book keeps the child’s attention. By using her own experiences as a mother, Janet is able to relate to mothers and children everywhere.

John Wallace’s watercolor illustrations bring the story to life. The bright color Wallace uses captures the reader’s attention. Parents and children will relate to the changing expression on the mother’s face. His illustrations will help young readers decode new words they encounter in the book.

Review Excerpts

Review for School Library Journal “A poetic yet accessible text blends with appealing watercolor paintings to tell the tale of a bright-eyed baby and his exhausted parent”

Review in Booklist: “New mothers will appreciate this as much as their babies.”

Review in Kirkus Review: “An enjoyable romp for little ones and a compassionate reassurance for their exhausted parents.”

Connections

*Another book about children and parents: Schwartz, Amy. SOME BABIES. ISBN 0531302873

*Read with student’s when teaching the –mp sound.

*Parents and children can read together and discuss how mom will always love her children even when tired and grumpy.

Children and Young Adult Literature

This blog has been created as a requirement for my Children and Young Adult Literature class at Texas Woman's University. Please join me this semester as I review different genre's of books. Up first is picture books.