The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf (Picture Puffin S.)

Rating:
Summary: Who's afraid of Mr. Alexander T. Wolf?
Review: Authors these days are constantly reinterpreting old fairy tales and nursery rhymes to spice them up, repackage them, and sell them as something new. Credit this idea, in part, to the illustrious Jon Scieszka (a free cup of sugar to anyone who pronounces his name correctly) and illustrator Lane Smith. Together, these two have successfully rendered the world of nursery-dom topsy turvey, beginning with the clever, "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!". At long last, the viewer has a chance to look past the biased press and (undoubtedly) stacked juries to hear the true story from the lips of Mr. Alexander T. Wolf himself.

As Wolf puts it, the whole thing was just a big misunderstanding. One of those events that get blown way out of proportion. See, it's like this... the wolf was just looking to borrow a cup of sugar for his poor bed-ridden granny. He wanted to make a cake for her, but finding himself lacking the necessary ingredients he went to his nearest neighbor to borrow some. Now here's where it all went higgledy-piggledy. The pig (living in a straw home) didn't answer the door and the wolf had a bad cold. By pure bad luck he accidentally sneezed the home down and, in effect, killed the pig. Thinking it a bad idea to waste pork, the wolf ate the pig and decided to try another neighbor. And so it went until he got to the brick house and was shortly, thereafter, arrested. Poor poor wolfie.

Here's what you have to contend with if you read this book to l'il uns. Yes, you have a wolf eating pigs. Which is, to be fair, what wolves do. Now you never see the wolf actually put each pig in his mouth. And you never see the pig's faces prior to their devourement. So, frankly, how much worse is this than your average fairy tale? Trust me, the kids'll get over it. After all, the book is aligned in such a way that your sympathies really do side with the wolf himself. I was especially amused by the book's take on the "biased" media. Says the wolf, the truth was kind of dull, "So they jazzed up the story with all of that `Huff and puff and blow your house down.' And they made me the Big Bad Wolf".

Aside from the great story, Lane Smith really did a nice job with the illustrations on this one. Tiny details spot every scene. Notice, if you will, the brick car parked next to the third pig's brick house. Notice that all the reporters are pigs (as is the jailor at the end). Best of all, check out the wolf's portrait of his grandmother looking suspiciously like another wolf of classic lore.

It's a great book and an amusing (if somewhat overdone these days) story. Like a good ironic twisty tale? Enjoy seeing a fairy tale creature protesting the media? Dislike pigs? Then pull a chair up and take a gander at that wonderful 1989 concoction, "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!". It's a doozy.

Rating:
Summary: Who's afraid of Mr. Alexander T. Wolf?
Review: Authors these days are constantly reinterpreting old fairy tales and nursery rhymes to spice them up, repackage them, and sell them as something new. Credit this idea, in part, to the illustrious Jon Scieszka (a free cup of sugar to anyone who pronounces his name correctly) and illustrator Lane Smith. Together, these two have successfully rendered the world of nursery-dom topsy turvey, beginning with the clever, "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!". At long last, the viewer has a chance to look past the biased press and (undoubtedly) stacked juries to hear the true story from the lips of Mr. Alexander T. Wolf himself.

As Wolf puts it, the whole thing was just a big misunderstanding. One of those events that get blown way out of proportion. See, it's like this... the wolf was just looking to borrow a cup of sugar for his poor bed-ridden granny. He wanted to make a cake for her, but finding himself lacking the necessary ingredients he went to his nearest neighbor to borrow some. Now here's where it all went higgledy-piggledy. The pig (living in a straw home) didn't answer the door and the wolf had a bad cold. By pure bad luck he accidentally sneezed the home down and, in effect, killed the pig. Thinking it a bad idea to waste pork, the wolf ate the pig and decided to try another neighbor. And so it went until he got to the brick house and was shortly, thereafter, arrested. Poor poor wolfie.

Here's what you have to contend with if you read this book to l'il uns. Yes, you have a wolf eating pigs. Which is, to be fair, what wolves do. Now you never see the wolf actually put each pig in his mouth. And you never see the pig's faces prior to their devourement. So, frankly, how much worse is this than your average fairy tale? Trust me, the kids'll get over it. After all, the book is aligned in such a way that your sympathies really do side with the wolf himself. I was especially amused by the book's take on the "biased" media. Says the wolf, the truth was kind of dull, "So they jazzed up the story with all of that 'Huff and puff and blow your house down.' And they made me the Big Bad Wolf".

Aside from the great story, Lane Smith really did a nice job with the illustrations on this one. Tiny details spot every scene. Notice, if you will, the brick car parked next to the third pig's brick house. Notice that all the reporters are pigs (as is the jailor at the end). Best of all, check out the wolf's portrait of his grandmother looking suspiciously like another wolf of classic lore.

It's a great book and an amusing (if somewhat overdone these days) story. Like a good ironic twisty tale? Enjoy seeing a fairy tale creature protesting the media? Dislike pigs? Then pull a chair up and take a gander at that wonderful 1989 concoction, "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!". It's a doozy.

Rating:
Summary: Funny, entertaining, fun to read to your children!
Review: I bought this book for my son when he was probably around 6 or 7 years old. (or 8? My memory fails me.) He has since grown into a teenager with a great sense of humor, and I believe that books like this one helped shape that! This is the tale of what happened to the three little pigs, from the wolf's point of view. It's funny how the wolf tries to appeal to the readers' sympathies, as he describes how he's simply been misunderstood all these years! This book may be your child's introduction to sarcasm, so make sure they are old enough to "get it". I always enjoyed reading this one out loud to my son!

Rating:
Summary: The True Story of the Big Bad Wolf
Review: I liked the book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs because it was funny and has nice illiustraions. The first thing that happened was the Big Bad Wolf was making a cake for his Granny and sneezing.When all of a sudden he relizied he was all out of sugar.So he took the cup for the sugar and started to walk to neibor'shouse .The house was made out of straw the wolf noked on the door and it fell in then all of a sudden he sneezed and the house fell down.The dust clered and there was a pig laying there so the wolf ate him.So he walked to the next houseit was made out of sticks he noked on the door then he sneezed.The house fell down and the pig was dead the wolf ate him.The wolf walked to the next house it was made out of bricks the wolf noked and then he sneezed the house did not foll down.The wolf started to walk away and the pig said your Granny can sit on a pin the wolf went wild and tryed to break in.Then the police showed up and took the wolf to jail so the story about the huffing and puffing was made up by the news.

Rating:
Summary: The Wrong Story of the Three Little Pigs
Review: The True Story of The Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka is a really book to read. It is a hilarious book because it shows smoke, bunny ears, and other funny stuff. It shows color in the pictures because instead of black and white it shows color. It uses descriptive words because instead of saying smart it says the brain. At the end it is a funny surprise.

Rating:
Summary: The Wrong Story of the Three Little Pigs
Review: This totally engaging book would appeal to young and old alike. The Big Bad Wolf portrays himself as the innocent victim of a huge misunderstanding. He actually seems like a cool con man.
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs would be a great read aloud and could be used as a wonderful example of compare and contrast when used in conjuction with The Three Little Pigs.