The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig

Author: Eugene Trivizas

Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury

Aladdin Paperbacks 1993

ISBN 9780689815287

Eugene Trivizas has taken the classic Three Little Pigs and done a complete one-eighty. At the beginning of the story the three little wolves mother tells them it’s time to set out and be on their own. She also warns them about the big bad pig. However, unlike the classic tale, these three wolves stick together and begin their new lives. Their first home is made of brick that was donated by a friendly kangaroo. After building their house of brick, the wolves are playing a game of croquet when the big bad pig comes along; so, the wolves run into their home to hide. The big bad pig tells them to let him in or he “will huff and puff and blow their house down.” When the wolves say no, “he huffed and he puffed and he puffed and he huffed, but the house didn’t fall down.” Since the big bad pig is who he is, he gets a sledgehammer and knocks the wolves’ house down and they barely escape. The story continues with the wolves building two more houses out of stronger materials only to have them knocked down by the big bad pig. Trivizas twists the story once again with the conclusion of the tale. The three little wolves build their last house out of flowers. When the big bad pig begins to huff and puff he inhales the beautiful sent of flowers and becomes a changed pig. The three little wolves and the big “good” pig became friends and they all lived happily ever after.

Eugene Trivizas’s version of the classic Three Little Pigs is creative and amusing. The three little wolves encounter various types of animals who are more than willing to donate to their homes. His big bad pig is so determined to demolish the wolves’ homes that he finds tools such as a sledgehammer, a pneumatic drill and dynamite. Some readers may pick up on the moral of never give up.

Helen Oxenbury’s illustrations are colorful and wonderfully enhance the story. The characters are realistic enough to be identifiable but cartoonish enough to make talking animals believable. The characters’ facial expressions comically emphasize the characters’ emotions.

This picture book is a good example of a fractured fairy tale. It could be used in a unit comparing and contrasting the original story with the variations. It could also be used to encourage students to write their own version of the tale.

The Emperor and the Kite

The Emperor and the Kite

By Jane Yolen

Illustrated by Ed Young

Philomel Books 1988

ISBN 0021794871

The Emperor and the Kite is a fairy tale set in ancient China. The emperor has eight children. He had four sons who “were like four rising suns in the eyes of their father.” He also had three daughters who “were like three midnight moons in the eyes of their father.” However, his fourth daughter, Djeow Seow, “was like a tiny star in the emperor’s sight.” Djeow Seow was so tiny that no one paid any attention to her; so, she spent all of her time by herself and had very little love in her life. Her favorite thing to do was fly her kite. She would fly her kite every morning and evening and there was a monk who passed by every day. He would always say a prayer:

“My kite sails upward,

Mounting to the high heavens.

My soul goes on wings.”

Everything in the empire was not well and evil men came and took the emperor away right in front of Djeow Seow. They took him to a tall tower that had only one window and one door. The evil men bricked up the door and returned to the empire, telling everyone that the emperor was dead. All of the emperor’s children ran away except for Djeow Seow. She went to the tower where her father was held prisoner and built herself a hut. Every day she would give her father food by flying her kite up to the window. One day, the monk passed by and said his prayer; however, it was a bit different this time.

“My kite sails upward,

Mounting to the high heavens.

My emperor goes on wings.”

The prayer was a hint to Djeow Seow. She realized this and spent days weaving a rope. Once it was finished, she flew the rope up to her father and he was able to climb down from the window at the top of the tower. The emperor and Djeow Seow went back to the empire and threw the evil men in jail. From that point on Djeow Seow helped her father rule the empire and had all the love she wanted.

Jane Yolen’s tale of the Emperor and the Kite is well told and seems to be authentic to the culture it represents. She uses a large amount of figurative language, especially similes. Her use of figurative language brings to mind the imagery I associate with Asian literature. The illustrations are vibrant, colorful and representative of Asian style artwork. The colors are symbolic of the characters’ personalities. The king is always portrayed in golden yellows and oranges, implying that he is powerful and important like the sun. Djeow Seow is always depicted in shades of blue and green which implies that she is very calm and subdued.

1968 Caldecott Medal Honor Book

Horn Book Magazine: “It was after beginning his study of Tai Chi Chuan in the mid-1960s that he began to study and understand Chinese culture and art; this is reflected in books such as The Emperor and the Kite (Philomel) by Jane Yolen, where he uses an ancient Chinese paper-cutting technique” (Gauch).

This picture book could be used in a unit on fairy tales in different cultures. For older audiences this book could be part of an archetypes study. This story could also spark a discussion about accepting people the way they are and celebrating differences. It could be linked with the Aesop fable about the lion and the mouse.

Works Cited:

Gauch, Patricia Lee. "ED YOUNG." Horn Book Magazine 66.4 (1990): 430-435. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Sept. 2010.

Rapunzel

Rapunzel

Retold & Illustrated by: Paul O. Zelinsky

Puffin Books 1997

ISBN 0142301930

A long time ago a couple longed to have a baby. When the wife realized she was pregnant she was overjoyed. The couple’s house overlooked a walled garden owned by a sorceress. One day the woman had a craving for rapunzel. This craving became so strong that she told her husband “If I cannot eat some of the rupunzel from the garden behind our house, I am going to die.” So, the woman’s husband snuck into the garden and stole as much rupunzel as he could carry. The woman ate every last bit of it, but it only made her craving worse. The next time the husband climbed into the garden the sorceress caught him stealing her rapunzel. The husband explained why he was stealing from her, so as punishment she told him he must give her the child his wife would have. The husband agreed and when the child was born the sorceress took the baby girl and named her Rapunzel. The baby grew to be a beautiful young woman. The sorceress locked Rapunzel in a tower when she was twelve. The only way into the tower was through a window at the top. The sorceress would call “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” and then she would climb up. One day a prince was riding by the tower when he heard Rapunzel singing. He fell in love with her and rode by the tower every day. One day he saw the sorceress walk up to the tower, call to Rapunzel, and climb up to the top. The next day, the prince rode up to the tower, called to Rapunzel, and climbed up to the top. Rapunzel and the prince fell in love, but when the sorceress discovered this she cut off Rapunzel’s hair and sent her to a wild country. The next time the prince came to the tower the sorceress tricked the prince into climbing up to the top of the tower. She then told him that Rapunzel was “lost to him forever.” The prince was so shocked that he let go of the hair and fell to the ground. When the prince fell, he did not die but he lost his eyesight. He then wandered around the wilderness grieving for Rapunzel. Then, one day he happens upon Rapunzel. Her tears of joy return his eyesight and the prince realized they were right outside of his kingdom. They lived happily ever after with their two children.

Paul O. Zelinsky beautifully recreates the classic tale of Rapunzel. He continues the fairy tale tradition by setting the story long ago and ending it “they lived a long life, happy and content.” He also creates a dynamic character in the sorceress. Is she really evil or lonely, hurt and betrayed? The illustrations are realistic and detailed. They enhance the story in various parts such as when the prince is wandering in the wilderness. The reader can find the prince in four different parts of the wilderness on one page.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal in 1998.

Horn Book Magazine: “It takes a scholar's mind and an artist's insight to endow the familiar with unexpected nuances-which Zelinsky does with passion and dazzling technique” (Burns).

This story could be used for a compare and contrast assignment. For younger audiences, I would compare it will Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox (ISBN 9780142403990). For older audiences, I would have the students compare it to Golden: A Retelling of Rapunzel by Cameron Dokey (ISBN 9781416939269).

Works Cited:

Burns, Mary M. "Rapunzel." Horn Book Magazine 74.1 (1998): 85-86. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Sept. 2010.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by: Judith Viorst

Illustrated by: Ray Cruz

Aladdin Books, 1987

ISBN 0689711735

In this adorable story, Alexander leads us through a day in his life, but it’s not an ordinary day. It is a “horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day.” From the moment Alexander wakes up nothing goes right. He has gum in his hair, he doesn’t get a toy in his cereal, he gets stuck in the middle riding in the car, and that’s just the beginning. Nothing seems to be going right for poor Alexander. He amusingly decides that none of these things would happen if he were in Australia, but in the end he realizes that everyone has bad days, “even in Australia.”

Judith Viorst puts the reader right into Alexander’s thoughts. Most of the sentences are long and complex and they veer off track occasionally, just like the way we think. “At counting time she said I left out sixteen. Who needs sixteen?” Viorst’s story helps children understand that everybody has bad days. Ray Cruz’s illustrations are a great compliment to the story. While most of the characters are smiling and enjoying their day, Alexander is always frowning and even his hair is having a bad day. The depiction of Alexander alone on the page with text emphasizes how lonely bad days can be.

Connections:

This story is a great way to discuss emotions. It could be read in conjunction with Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard. The children could compare and contrast the ways the characters deal with their bad days. This story is also a great spring board for discussing empathy. The children can relate to how Alexander is feeling and come up with ideas on how to cheer him up.

Kitten's First Full Moon

Kitten’s First Full Moon written and illustrated by: Kevin Henkes

Greenwillow Books, 2004

ISBN 0060588284

Kitten is enjoying an evening on the porch when she sees what looks like a large bowl of milk in the sky. Her goal: get that milk! However, no matter what she tries, she just can’t seem to reach the large bowl of milk in the sky. After trying everything she possibly can and traveling all over the yard, Kitten heads home feeling sad, tired, and hungry. But wait! There on the porch is a big bowl of milk “just waiting for her.”

Kevin Henkes story is a great representation of a child’s perception of the world. A bowl of milk is a creative way to describe the ever changing moon. Henkes long, compound sentences emphasize Kitten’s actions while the simple vocabulary makes it easy to read. His grayscale illustrations add mystery and adventure to the night with a full moon. Kitten is a very simple depiction of a cat and yet she still manages to be very expressive.

Booklist (Vol. 100 Issue 12)—“Wise preschoolers may chuckle at the kitten’s folly, but they’ll also recognize the mysterious power of moonlight to transform the familiar world of daytime into something altogether new.”

Horn Book Magazine (May/Jun2004, Vol. 80 Issue 3 )—“Anyone who has ever watched a cat spasmodically pounce and chase for no apparent reason will enjoy the imaginative, unpretentiously poetic method Henkes reads into this madness.”

Connections:

Children could discuss what other things the moon can look like, for example: a thumb nail, a smile, etc. Children could also illustrate other ways Kitten could try to get the “bowl of milk.”

Works Cited:

Henkes, Kevin. "Kitten's First Full Moon (Book)." Booklist 100.12 (2004): 1056. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2010.

Heppermann, Christine M. "Kitten's First Full Moon." Horn Book Magazine 80.3 (2004): 314-315. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2010.