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Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf
In a humorous revision of the classic tale, three unkempt pigs venture out into the world, where they encounter a very mangy wolf. By the author of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
32 pages, Library Binding
Published March 1, 1992
About the author
Glen Rounds
149 books11 followersGlen Harold Rounds was a distinguished American writer and illustrator whose career spanned over six decades, during which he wrote and illustrated more than 100 books. Known for his vivid storytelling and masterful illustrations, Rounds garnered over 25 literary awards, cementing his legacy as one of the prominent children's authors and illustrators of his time.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 22, 2022
Well that got dark. In this version, the first two pigs are eaten up after the wolf blows down their houses. At the end, the third pig in the brick house, eats the wolf after he falls into his boiling pot of soup. Don't think I will be using this version at storytime any time soon...
June 21, 2010
This book is pretty good not the best but prtty good...
May 19, 2023
Was excited to see what Glen Rounds would bring to the table with this story since he leans a bit more towards putting his own spin on the stories that he is telling. Unfortunately, though, this is wasn't the case for the most part.
First of all the title is way too long while many readers whether they are young or old are already used to the story's characters thus don't need all the primary ones pointed out. Secondly the majority of the story being told to the read was almost word-for-word copy of the story being told in all the other versions that have been presented and it was only towards the attempted capture of the third pig did the story actually open it to more than a basic telling. Furthermore the last little piggy appears to be more resourceful, more knowledgeable and also a wise little piggy compared to all his other counterparts in various re-tellings.
The illustrations are clearly Glen Rounds - colored dully and with the wolf seeming more like a scraggly coyote found in some of his wild horse books. Upon closer examination the wolf itself seems like a cartoonish monster with extreme emphasis of physical traits that would now be considered probably politically incorrect while the look of the pig on the last page was chilling thus providing the book with a dark end. But even for the weird character portrayals I must say that I did like the forms of the houses made out of piles, which is in its own right a bit more creative than in other tellings.
All in all it was a decent retelling of this fairy tale but not the best thus I would probably steer clear of re-reading it in the future if I were to come across it again.
First of all the title is way too long while many readers whether they are young or old are already used to the story's characters thus don't need all the primary ones pointed out. Secondly the majority of the story being told to the read was almost word-for-word copy of the story being told in all the other versions that have been presented and it was only towards the attempted capture of the third pig did the story actually open it to more than a basic telling. Furthermore the last little piggy appears to be more resourceful, more knowledgeable and also a wise little piggy compared to all his other counterparts in various re-tellings.
The illustrations are clearly Glen Rounds - colored dully and with the wolf seeming more like a scraggly coyote found in some of his wild horse books. Upon closer examination the wolf itself seems like a cartoonish monster with extreme emphasis of physical traits that would now be considered probably politically incorrect while the look of the pig on the last page was chilling thus providing the book with a dark end. But even for the weird character portrayals I must say that I did like the forms of the houses made out of piles, which is in its own right a bit more creative than in other tellings.
All in all it was a decent retelling of this fairy tale but not the best thus I would probably steer clear of re-reading it in the future if I were to come across it again.
September 11, 2018
Summary: This book is a classic folktale that is based upon three little pigs that build their own individual house. One pig builds theirs out of straw, one out of sticks and the final one is made out of bricks. Their is an antagonist: the big bad wolf, who comes to town and attempts to blow every house down. He accomplishes this with the first two houses, but the final brick home is not successfully blown down.
Evaluation: After reading this book, I feel that this is a good version of the story but, it is not the best. It gets the point across of the folktale but, it does not do a very good job diving into details. Also, it has its own twist of the story. However, I may be biased because, I do have a personal favorite of this folktale.
Teaching Idea: I would teach protagonist and antagonist with this story as an opener of the two types of characters. I would use this with an anchor chart Venn diagram to compare the differences between the two characters and find their positive and negative attributes.
Evaluation: After reading this book, I feel that this is a good version of the story but, it is not the best. It gets the point across of the folktale but, it does not do a very good job diving into details. Also, it has its own twist of the story. However, I may be biased because, I do have a personal favorite of this folktale.
Teaching Idea: I would teach protagonist and antagonist with this story as an opener of the two types of characters. I would use this with an anchor chart Venn diagram to compare the differences between the two characters and find their positive and negative attributes.
May 22, 2018
it was an o book i don't like how the big bad wolf would them
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2019
The story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf never grows old.
Read
October 13, 2015Title: Three Little Pigs and The Big Bad Wolf
Author: Glen Rounds
Illustrator: Glen Rounds
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Being mean doesn’t get you very far. Be smart about your actions.
Opening line/sentence: “One morning a long time ago an old sow called her three little pigs to her and said, “I have something to tell you.’”
Brief Book Summary: Three little pigs all built themselves houses. One pig made their house out of straw, one out of sticks, and the last out of bricks. A big, bad, wold came to all of their houses and blew all of them down besides the pig with the house made out of bricks.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly
This forceful presentation brings added pizzazz to an old favorite. In a style similar to that of Rounds's last two folk-inspired retellings ( I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly ; Old MacDonald Had a Farm ), his vigorous artwork--a mix of broad black outlines and strongly textured pastels against abundant white space--gives the animal cast a winning immediacy. (Since the characters are not anthropomorphized, however, this realistic wolf may alarm little ones--the entire tale, in fact, is somewhat more frightening in Rounds's version.) The language is spare and direct; the textual mix of small and large typefaces adds to the striking visuals. This energetic interpretation may well win new fans for this talented artist and storyteller. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-- No revisionist tinkering here, but a trim and straightforward retelling of the tried and true. Only a few touches hint at contemporary sensitivities: the mother pig assures her piglets of her love before sending them away, and the brick house appropriated by the third pig is, we are assured, long abandoned. The tale's essential toughness remains: the wolf eats the first two pigs and is himself eaten by the third. Besides the huffing and puffing part, this version includes the lesser-known episodes in which the wolf vainly tries to lure the third pig out, by means of ``friendly'' invitations. The illustrations are vintage Rounds. The wolf is a scruffy, emaciated, hangdog sort, not likely to inspire any nightmares. The pigs lack character, but in Rounds's view they are clearly supporting players: it's the wolf's show. Colors are muted, background and detail are minimal: the book's high energy level comes from Rounds's galvanic, attenuated line and the capital letters used for all crucial words and phrases (useful both for dramatic reading-aloud and beginning readers). Resisting the trend toward the genteel, Rounds again votes for the fun in folktales. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: The reviews seem to think that this is a great story about a favorite, popular fable. The language seems to be age-appropriate and it is great for a read aloud. The illustrations also seem very plausible.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The pigs and wolf are acting like people. They're not acting as animals, they're acting as humans. The conflict in the story is that the little pigs houses keep getting blown down by the wolf.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Make a felt wolf, pigs, and different types of houses. Have the students tell the story with the felt or move the felt as you read the story to them. This is interactive, fun, and helps children with comprehension.
Author: Glen Rounds
Illustrator: Glen Rounds
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): Being mean doesn’t get you very far. Be smart about your actions.
Opening line/sentence: “One morning a long time ago an old sow called her three little pigs to her and said, “I have something to tell you.’”
Brief Book Summary: Three little pigs all built themselves houses. One pig made their house out of straw, one out of sticks, and the last out of bricks. A big, bad, wold came to all of their houses and blew all of them down besides the pig with the house made out of bricks.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly
This forceful presentation brings added pizzazz to an old favorite. In a style similar to that of Rounds's last two folk-inspired retellings ( I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly ; Old MacDonald Had a Farm ), his vigorous artwork--a mix of broad black outlines and strongly textured pastels against abundant white space--gives the animal cast a winning immediacy. (Since the characters are not anthropomorphized, however, this realistic wolf may alarm little ones--the entire tale, in fact, is somewhat more frightening in Rounds's version.) The language is spare and direct; the textual mix of small and large typefaces adds to the striking visuals. This energetic interpretation may well win new fans for this talented artist and storyteller. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-- No revisionist tinkering here, but a trim and straightforward retelling of the tried and true. Only a few touches hint at contemporary sensitivities: the mother pig assures her piglets of her love before sending them away, and the brick house appropriated by the third pig is, we are assured, long abandoned. The tale's essential toughness remains: the wolf eats the first two pigs and is himself eaten by the third. Besides the huffing and puffing part, this version includes the lesser-known episodes in which the wolf vainly tries to lure the third pig out, by means of ``friendly'' invitations. The illustrations are vintage Rounds. The wolf is a scruffy, emaciated, hangdog sort, not likely to inspire any nightmares. The pigs lack character, but in Rounds's view they are clearly supporting players: it's the wolf's show. Colors are muted, background and detail are minimal: the book's high energy level comes from Rounds's galvanic, attenuated line and the capital letters used for all crucial words and phrases (useful both for dramatic reading-aloud and beginning readers). Resisting the trend toward the genteel, Rounds again votes for the fun in folktales. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: The reviews seem to think that this is a great story about a favorite, popular fable. The language seems to be age-appropriate and it is great for a read aloud. The illustrations also seem very plausible.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The pigs and wolf are acting like people. They're not acting as animals, they're acting as humans. The conflict in the story is that the little pigs houses keep getting blown down by the wolf.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Make a felt wolf, pigs, and different types of houses. Have the students tell the story with the felt or move the felt as you read the story to them. This is interactive, fun, and helps children with comprehension.
November 10, 2012
Just looking at the cover, I recognized his book from when I was a kid. I have read this one before. I’m not sure when it was but I think it was one of those audio books that I can across when I was little. The pictures of this book are very “childish” looking, colored in with crayons, scribbles here and there. (Maybe a book that you can read to a little kid.) But nevertheless, they make it captivating enough for a kid to follow along with it. It’s playful enough with the giant letters, the animated and colorful drawings. This is definitely one of those class reads. “THE BIG BAD WOLF was VERY, VERY ANGRY when he found that the little pig had tricked him!” Sentences like those are beginning to be acted it out, make it playful for the kids, and if done right, a guaranteed giggle here and there. Certainly, a book that can become a classic… It has nice amount of text, like I said, it was structured very playfully. Very cute and funny story as well, I couldn’t help but smile and one that I would surely love to read to my child in the future.
August 3, 2008
This is the classic Three Little Pigs story to a T.
The author doesn't skirt around the original story. Nope, in this version (just as in the original), the wolf eats the first two pigs. Well, why not? That's what wolves *do*. People eat pigs as well! And the pig ends up eating the wolf at the end. Well, why not? Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and I gotta watch that big bad wolf die.
My nieces love this book. I do too :)
The author doesn't skirt around the original story. Nope, in this version (just as in the original), the wolf eats the first two pigs. Well, why not? That's what wolves *do*. People eat pigs as well! And the pig ends up eating the wolf at the end. Well, why not? Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and I gotta watch that big bad wolf die.
My nieces love this book. I do too :)
July 20, 2012
This folktale orginated in England. It's a story about three little pigs who each build a home and the big, bad wolf tries to get them. This book is much more graphic and different from the version I remember being told. The wolf eats the first two pigs and at the end, the last pig ends up eating the wolf. Some parents may want to check out which folktale version they are getting before they purchase it for their child, as some may not agree with it.
August 27, 2008
This is a story I have memorized. I have read it too my sister since she was 1 and played out the parts as she grew older. My mother saw this as a great story and I showed lots of skills reading it. So She put me in a 4-H reading class. I did great but lost because I was practicing too good of posture.
September 6, 2008
This version has a few extra details I'd never come across before in this old story: the wolf inviting the third pig to go to the fair and turnip-picking, all in an attempt to get him out of his brick house.
December 9, 2014
In this version of the three little pigs, the third pig goes above and beyond when outsmarting the wolf. He's always one step ahead of the wolf and in the end, it is not the pig who gets eaten, but the wolf (who knew?).
March 30, 2015
-Totally classic story, nothing new, but with that long ending where the pig wins by trickery rather than by building a strong sturdy house
-No connection made about survival or hard work
-Nothing of value to teach
-No connection made about survival or hard work
-Nothing of value to teach
November 26, 2011
I would use this in my classroom to compare different stories of the Three Little Pigs. I would have the students compare and contrast the differences and similarites.
January 1, 2016
Delightful research for my archival research project. Always fun to read first editions and see the typed manuscripts and original art.
April 5, 2015
Timeless story.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews