The Three Little Pigs

The Three Little Pigs is a folklore, intended for young and new readers.  It was written and illustrated by Paul Galdone in 1970. Galdone does a fantastic job of defining the conflict in the story and making the theme stand out. He also brings the story to life with his illustrations, which are colorful, realistic, and a play by play of what happens in the story.

The Three Little Pigs is a common story that everyone has heard as child, but this version has a little twist to it. The story starts off by the three little pigs leaving their mother's home and off to seek their own fortune. The first little pig built his house out of straw and the wolf came blew it down and ate him. The second little pig built his house out of sticks and the wolf came blew it down and ate him. And the third little pig built his house out of bricks and when the wolf came he couldn't blow it down. So the wolf decided to invite the pig out and try get him that way. Only the pig was smart and left the house early every time to beat the wolf there. Finally, the wolf had enough and climbed on top of the house and down the chimney. However, the pig was one step ahead of the wolf once again and once the wolf came down the chimney he fell into a blazing hot pot and the pig closed the lid. The pig ate the wolf and then lived happily ever after.

This book is great for children because it 's a traditional story that has been remade and passed down from generations. The story teaches children that no matter how small you may be good trumps all evil. The book is easy for children to read and enjoyable. Children was also be able to relate to the story because children are small and vulnerable like the pigs. However, this book will teach them that they are strong and smart, and if you set your mind to something you can achieve anything.

Discussion Questions:

• If you were the first or second little pig, what would you do if the wolf knocked on your door? 
• Why do you think the pig still went to the places the wolf asked him to go too?
• Do you think all the little pigs should have left home? Why or why not?
• Why do you think the wolf didn't climb down the chimney in the first place? 
• Why do you think the pigs chose to build their houses out of these materials?

Motivational Activity:

• You can have the students build houses out of different materials and take turns trying to blow down the houses, while acting out scenes from the story.  This shows the students the struggle of building a house, especially with those materials and what the pigs had to do in such a situation.

Galdone,P.(2012). The Three Little Pigs. Boston.HMN Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company