The Three Little Pigs And The Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Teague, Mark. The Three Little Pigs And The Somewhat Bad Wolf. New York, NY, Orchard Books: 2013. ISBN: 9780439915014

2. PLOT SUMMARY

The three little pigs come to life in this picture book variant of “The Three Little Pigs.” They are no longer needed at their jobs on the farm, so they take their wages and each of them buys building supplies for a new house. As usual, the third pig is the wisest and builds his house from bricks. Into town walks the somewhat bad, but really hungry wolf, who can’t seem to find anything to eat. The story takes an unusual turn after the first two pigs’ houses are blown down, and the wolf arrives at the third house. He is treated to potato chips, sody-pop, and dinner, and the four of them live happily ever after together in the brick house.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

From the very beginning of this book, Teague uses his illustrations to point out the responsible nature and wise decisions of the third pig. On the first page, she is the one sitting in a chair reading a book and snacking on an apple, while the other two roll around in the mud, obviously full of potato chips and sody-pop. He continues this theme throughout the book. While the other two pigs ride away from the farm on a scooter and bicicycle, she chooses to walk - the healthier choice. She chooses to build a brick house (and is rewarded with a free sandwich) while the other two use straw and sticks so they can save their money for potato chips and sody-pop. She plants a vegetable garden near her brick house and fills her basket full of fresh vegetables. In the end, her wise decisions reward her with a home that is still standing. Everyone moves in with her and feasts on broccoli … and a little sody-pop.

Teague’s illustrations could tell this story on their own. They are creative and imaginative, and they draw the reader into the details of the story. His eye-catching pictures feature bright, mood-boosting colors. They enhance the story and entertain readers at the same time, providing them with an extra laugh here and there.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

PARENTS’ CHOICE SILVER HONOR Spring 2013

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - “Teague (the How Do Dinosaurs books) throws his hat into the fractured fairy tale ring with a funny twist on this tale that’s fit for the era of Michael Pollan.”

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.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written by Mark Teague such as:

• How I Spent My Summer Vacation. ISBN 0517885565

• Funny Farm. ISBN 043991499X
• Firehouse! ISBN 0439915007

Gather other books in the Dinosaur series by Mark Teague and Jane Yolen such as:

• How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Room? ISBN 0439649501
• How Do Dinosaurs Laugh Out Loud? ISBN 0545236525
• How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? ISBN 0545143144

Click here to visit the Scholastic website for downloadable acitivties and coloring sheets to go along with this book.

Discuss the differences in the choices made by the three pigs, including choices concerning food, activities, building materials, etc.