1.       Bibliography

Lloyd, Clare. 2019. The Three Little Pigs. Ill. by Giuseppe di Lernia.
New York: DK. ISBN  1465478485

2.       Plot Summary

When these three precocious, eager pigs leave their loving parents’ home to venture out into the world, the pigs are reminded to be cautious regarding the Big Bad Wolf.  The first pig does not venture far before hastily assembling a makeshift straw home.  This lazy pig does not heed his parents’ warning!  The second pig travels a bit farther and constructs her home out of available sticks and branches.  This pig gave a nod to her parents’ warning, but she did not fully obey.  The third pig walked until he found just the right location for his home and then carefully planned and built his abode with the best materials possible—bricks!  This pig worked hard for many weeks, ensuring that he fully followed his parents’ loving warning and then, "He stood back and admired his beautiful new home!"  Just as expected, the Big Bad Wolf is hungry and attempts to trick the pigs into letting him in.  When they do not oblige him, he blows the first two flimsy houses down, and all the pigs end up in the well-built home.  When the wolf cannot blow down the brick home, he tries to reach the pigs through the chimney and ends up in a boiling pot of soup!  The wolf then runs away, never to be seen again, and the three little pigs enjoy their sturdy home for the rest of their days.

3.       Critical Analysis

This simplistic, solid version of The Three Little Pigs retold by Clare Lloyd delivers a dependable, predictable folktale experience for both the reader and the audience.  The large board-book format makes this DK publication especially appealing for use with Prekindergarten and Kindergarten readers.  The overt foreshadowing of the furry antagonist ominously sets the tone of the book on the very first page as daddy pig warns, "Watch out for the Big Bad Wolf!"  Children will mentally prepare for his arrival as they study the vibrant, graphic illustrations of the three little pigs venturing out to build their homes.  Illustrator Giuseppe Di Lernia's compositions consistently convey lightness, hope, and buoyancy in the face of challenge through the use of steady, clean lines, bright color selection, and expansive white spaces.  Many of the illustrations are framed in by the inclusion of a close up depiction in one of the corners of the page, such as a bird or a tree, which repeatedly serves to pull the reader into the world of the storybook. The simple, yet modern, folk art style employed by Di Lernia complements the text beautifully.  One of the anthropomorphized pigs is, interestingly, a female; yet, she is not a particularly strong character.  The pigs’ conduct and decisions depict in an uncomplicated manner the themes of “haste makes waste” and that careful planning in life is indeed wise.  The reader witnesses the benefit of hard work and careful planning when the fastidious third pig announces to his siblings, "Don't worry!  We are safe in my strong brick house..."   The wily, hungry wolf serves as the archetypal evil present in the world:  preparations—boundaries—must be in place to protect from influences which are patently harmful.  The subtle placement of the river near the third pig’s solid home seems to whisper symbolic undertones of the flow of all life—that a new generation of pigs has successfully transitioned to independence (or interdependence among the three, as the case may be), and the story of life carries on.

4.       Review Excerpt(s)

From Kirkus Reviews:  "Yet another retelling of the classic fairy tale, updated for inclusivity and suitable for the board-book set..."

5.       Connections

Other traditional tales featuring the number three could be featured, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and the historical and cross-cultural significance of the number three in the genre of Traditional Tales could be discussed.

Other Beast Tales could be discussed and explored and compared, such as The Tortoise and the Hare, and the various symbolic meanings could be explored and analyzed.

In a middle school classroom, students could begin by reading this text before beginning an in-depth study of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, of course discussing and analyzing the enduring historical and cross-cultural symbolism of the pig.

Students could write their own original Beast Tales individually or in groups, complete with careful selection of numerical and animal symbolism portrayed, with an “author’s note” expounding upon these elements and their significance within the tales.