The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Scieszka, J. (1989). The true story of the three little pigs. New York, Puffin Books.

Grade Level: K-3

Genre: Picture Book- This book is primarily composed of illustrations that tell the story.

Summary: This is a true story that changes everything. Jon Scieszka’s book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs tells the story of The Three Little Pigs from the point of view of the wolf. The wolf begins by telling the reader his name (which is Alexander T. Wolf) and explaining that the Big Bad Wolf thing is all wrong. He can’t help it that he likes to eat cute little animals. It’s just the way wolves are. And the story with the three little pigs is really about a sneeze and a cup of sugar. The poor wolf was actually framed (or so he says).

Summary: This story proves the point that there are two sides to every story. A venn diagram would be a great tool to compare the original story to the "fractured" story. Questions for discussion might include: If you were a lawyer, who would you defend and why? What other fairly tales do you think have characters that may have been unfairly accused? This book could also be used to encourage students to write the other side to a popular story. The illustrations are also very humorous and include some collages. This book is enjoyable for adults too who are tired of the same ol’ story.