Pig, Pigger, Piggest

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Walton, Rick. 1997. PIG, PIGGER, PIGGEST. Ill. by Jimmy Holder. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 1-58685-318-X

AWARD(S) and STARS

• Center for Children’s Books Review Stars, 1997

PLOT SUMMARY

A silly fractured fairy tale, this rendition of “The Three Little Pigs,” includes witches instead wolves and castles instead of cottages. The king, the three pigs’ father, sends them out to build their own castles. The three pigs, Pig, Pigger, and Piggest build their big, bigger, and biggest castles out of mud, but along come greedy Witch, Witcher and Witchest demanding each castle. When the pigs use their versions of the “not by the hair on your chinny-chin-chin” phrases, the witches in turn send clouds with rain to huff and puff the castles away leaving mud puddles. In the end, the pigs are pleased with their puddles and ask the witches for their hands in marriage living “sloppily ever after.”

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Rick Walton, known for other entertaining books like Why the Banana Split and Once there Was a Bull . . . Frog, again plays on words to create a new version of the “Three Little Pigs.” Using the comparative and superlative forms of words, even nouns, with phrases such as “tallest-wallest, thickest-brickest castle” and “Huffer and Puffer,” Walton takes the reader through a plot that is similar to the original tale making it predictable. Children will know what will happen to each castle after the demise of the first, but the twist at the end will surely have the children groaning when the pigs and witches wed.

Using pen and ink, and watercolor media, Jimmy Holder creates humorous illustrations of plump pigs cavorting in mud and frighteningly cute witches. Each page illustrates the descriptive comparative and superlative interpretations of the text with small details. For example, there are signs saying, “For sale: cheaper sheeper” or a mouse labeled “squeakest.” Holder’s work supports the narrative text in a whimsically witty way.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

•  Children’s Literature (1997) – “It’s a little light on content and originality, yet heavy enough on silliness. The jaunty illustrations have a slick, artsy look and plenty of appeal.”
• Publishers Weekly (1997) – “While Walton's playful progressive comparisons are enjoyably goofy (e.g., Pigger builds a "taller-waller, thicker-bricker castle" than Pig's tall-wall, thick-brick castle"), they don't quite sustain a narrative and grow monotonous, as nearly all refer to size. Perhaps not the funniest, it's funnier than many; and definitely a funny book.”
• School Library Journal (1997) – “There have been some very clever take-offs on the classic "The Three Little Pigs." Unfortunately, this particular story leaves much to be desired. Although the pictures cleverly illustrate the action, the plot is wanting. For example, there is no satisfactory explanation given for why the witches want the castles. The fact that the pigs suddenly wish to marry them because they make beautiful mud is far-fetched. The pictures creatively portray the soft, round pigs and soft, even rounder witches, and there are some visual surprises that casual observers may miss, but the unfocused story line makes this an unnecessary purchase.”

CONNECTIONS

• Visit Rick Walton’s website http://www.rickwalton.com/curricul/curricul.htm for his excellent suggested curriculum connections. Some of the items included are descriptive, comparative and superlative word lists, discussion questions, nursery rhymes about pigs, instructions for writing superlative stories or three little pig stories, activities for comparing three things, and directions for playing Hink Pink and Half Hink Pink.

·         Read other versions of the Three Little Pigs and compare and contrast their elements. Books to include might be:

o   THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS by Jon Scieszka, ISBN 978-0140544510

o   THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG by Eugene Trivizas, ISBN 978-0689815287

o   THE THREE PIGS by David Wiesner, ISBN 978-0618007011

o   TELL THE TRUTH, B.B. WOLF by Judy Sierra, ISBN 978-0375856204

·         Read other books that include comparative and superlative adjectives:

o   MANY LUSCIOUS LOLLIPOPS: A BOOK ABOUT ADJECTIVES by Ruth Heller, ISBN 978-0698116412

o   IF YOU WERE AN ADJECTIVE by Michael Dahl, ISBN 978-1404819825

o   BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST by Steve Jenkins, ISBN 978-0395861363