The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Scieszka, J. (1989). The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Illustrator: Lane Smith. New York, New York: The Penguin Group.

Brief Annotation: Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs, but you do not know the real story until you hear it from Alexander T. Wolf. Alexander T. Wolf tells his side in this delightful story of how he got his bad reputation. All he was trying to do that day was to borrow a cup of sugar to make a birthday cake for his dear old granny.

Genre: Folklore Variants

Grade Level: Pre K-3 grade

Readers who will like this: Children who love the story of the Three Little Pigs. Children who like to read animal tales.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This book tells us there are two sides to every story. A creative, fun book to read about a story most of us grew up with.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Has there ever been a time when you saw a situation differently than a friend or your parents?

Reading Strategies Connection: Partner Journal (Yopp and Yopp, p. 83). The students could write to their partner about this book. Asking questions such as: Was the Wolf really that bad? What side of the story do you believe; the Three Little Pigs or the Wolf? This way of journaling requires the students to interact with their peers through writing who have read the same book.