The Three Ninja Pigs

Fairy Tale Ninja Trilogy

by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Dan Santat (Illustrator)

Practice makes perfect in this kick-butt fractured fairy tale.

Why does this wolf think he can come to town and blow all the houses down? These three little pigs just aren't going to take it from that bully anymore! The first starts aikido lessons—he'll make mincemeat out of that wolf! His brother learns a little jujitsu—he'll chop that guy to pieces!

But when the wolf actually appears, it turs out these two pigs aren't quite ready after all. Good thing their sister has been training every day to master some serious karate moves that save the day. KIYA!

Corey Rosen Schwartz serves up a fun combination of smart-aleck dialogue and tongue-in-cheek rhymes that'll have kids howling, and rising star Dan Santat's spunky illustrations are sure to pack a punch!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Humor, Animals, Storytime, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2012

About the author

Corey is the author of HOP! PLOP! (Walker, 2006), THE THREE NINJA PIGS (Putnam, 2012) GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS (Putnam, forthcoming) and NINJA RED (Putnam, forthcoming). Corey has no formal ninja training, but she sure can kick butt in Scrabble. She lives with three Knuckleheads in Warren, NJ.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful spin on a long-ago crafted tale. What if the three pigs took some martial arts to hone their skills ahead of the wolf's visit? This rhyming story looks into that, with two slacker pigs relying on the third. When it comes down to it, the wolf is outsmarted and the brother pigs learn the power of their sister. Neo laughed and thought it would be fun to see a pig chop bricks.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you get when you cross a martial arts film with the three little pigs? This book! Great art with a story that will help young children beginning the martial arts begin to understand the value of hard and diligent practice over a long period of time. Adults can read this too and learn something from it!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consider this the King Fu Panda version of The Three Little Pigs. I have never had a more popular/successful reading at storytime. The kids were on the edge of their seats and cheering and gasping with every turn of events. I credit the exceptional writing - the rhythmic rhyming is very tight and flows effortlessly. I also liked the moral of practicing and working hard to succeed, and that it's the girl pig who saves the day and says, "watch where you're steppin/I'm a certified weapon." She's badass.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gets points for being an excellent (and funny) story that actually uses rhyme to good effect (unlike a lot of the picture books I’ve been reading lately). A retelling of the Three Little Pigs, these 3 pigs decide to go on the offensive and prepare themselves for a wolf attack by taking classes in martial arts. The first little pig dabbles in Aikido, the second little pig takes Jujitsu (but only masters the basics), and the third little pig becomes a dedicated practitioner of Karate (advancing through all of the belts and practicing regularly). The first 2 pigs are no match for the wolf when he comes, but the third pig (the girl!) impresses the wolf, who runs away rather than test himself against her. All 3 pigs rededicate themselves to their lessons and eventually open a dojo to train others in the martial arts.

I loved that the third pig was all “Bring it, Wolf,” and forgive me – badass. Girls (and girl pigs) can kick some serious wolf butt. Great illustrations with lots of action – this should appeal to boys and girls alike. The rhyming text will have everyone – even adults – rolling on the floor with laughter and rooting for those unstoppable pigs!

Excerpt:

The chase carried on to their sister’s.
Pig Three was outside in her gi.
“I’m a certified weapon,
So watch where you’re steppin’.
You don’t want to start up with me!”

…

Pig Three heaped some bricks in a pile.
“I’ll show you what else I can do.”
With one mighty whack,
She split the whole stack!
Pig Three said, “That could have been you.”

[Sweet!]

[Julie Hedlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose it's not easy to take such a well-known tale and make it fresh, funny, original and unexpected, but that's just what the author has done in Three Ninja Pigs. And the rhyming is so fun! The illustrations really add, and adults will notice some other martial arts characters in them. My kids want me to read this book over and over, which in this case, is actually a pleasure.

[Allison Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fractured fairy tale twists the well known story by arming the pigs with martial arts ninja skills. Pig One studies aikido, but gets lazy with drills; Pig Two tries jujitsu, but gets overconfident before he's ready; and Pig Three goes with karate, mastering the art with grueling training. Naturally, Pig Three is the only one who's ready to kick the wolf's butt when he comes to blow her house in. (Plus, as in the original story, she's the only pig to have built a sturdy dwelling - in this case, a modern Japanese dwelling complete with cherry-blossoming trees out front.) I loved this book's limerick structure; you don't read it everyday, and the rhythmic rhymes work particularly well with this story's pattern. Dan Santat's illustrations are, as usual, spot on, adding humor, dynamic action scenes, and often a nice, stylistic sense of setting to Corey Rosen Schwartz's exuberant reinterpretation of a childhood standby.

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new look at the 3 little pigs story. But with a nod to Miss Piggy if you will, a hearty "hie-ya". Each of these little piggies decides to take up the art of self defense. Each in their own fashion. One by one they take on the wolf, yet still manage up at partying the house made of bricks.
This is a smartly done, well illustrated, rhyming fun take, on and old story, that just brings it right up to date and makes it so much fun to read and engage the kids in the story.
I wish all " re-do's" were even half as clever!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable adaption in terms of plot and language. The incrementally solid building materials in the original tale become the focus and dedication of each pig's training. And in the true spirit of self-defense, the third pig's demonstration of prowess is enough to scare off the wolf without any actual combat.

Impeccable rhyme, brilliant comic-book/manga style illustration. Great work from two picture-book black belts.

[Liz ardeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book slapped. PORK CHOP!

i liked the themes of hardwork and dedication with allusions to the karate kid.

the illustrations were wonderful!

the best pig was female? loved that

however, i think that the use of literary devices created a very simple tone. almost childish?

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

This is exactly what it looks like. . . .a variation on a theme.

My kiddos liked this, but gave it 3 stars. Sadly, I believe they are outgrowing some things. . . . .

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three little pigs who've had enough of the town bully's huffing and puffing decide to take martial arts lessons in order to protect themselves. Pig One learns a bit of aikido but before long he becomes bored and quits. Pig Two develops some jujitsu skills but soon decides he's learned enough. Their sister, Pig Three (love that it's a girl doing martial arts), studies the art of karate for months, disciplining herself and earning each belt along the way.

The first little pig is all talk and no action when the wolf comes to his house, and he quickly flees to the house of Pig Two, who does his best to defend them but quickly realizes he is out of his league. When the wolf approaches the house of Pig Three he has no idea that a karate master is waiting for him. By the time the skilled pig demonstrates a few fancy karate moves that wolf is shivering and running in fear.

Dan Santat's illustrations are the perfect match for this fun story. They just look exactly right, like Schwartz had Santat in mind the whole time she was writing. And speaking of the writing, the meter is perfect. I love when a writer is particular enough to get the meter right, and Schwartz has done it. This is a really fun take on the Three Little Pigs, and it's tons of fun to read out loud. I'm using it in my 2nd grade unit on Folk Tales the week we talk about different versions of the same story, alongside Glen Rounds' The Three Little Pigs and the Big, Bad Wolf, Jan Brett's 3 Little Dassies, The Three Little Javelinas, and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Scieszka. It's a terrific contemporary addition to the group.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a wonderful twist on the original fairytale. Three little pigs live in Japan and this big old mean wolf just saunters into town one day and thinks he'll blow it all apart. The little pigs hear of this weapon of mass destruction and start preparing for the thug's arrival at their door. The first little pig goes off and takes aikido lessons but it's not long before he loses interest and his "I'll make mincemeat out of that wolf" is but a fleeting dream. The second brother learns jujitsu and he chops, chops, chops until it is not a novelty anymore and loses interest. The third little girl pig, on the other hand, takes up the art of karate. She works out diligently, she wills herself to do her best and to put into practise what she has been taught. She excels at the art and hones her skills to perfection. When she finally comes face to face with the big bad wolf after her failing brother's attempts to ward him off, she proves herself to be a force worth reckoning with. She fearlessly declares to the punk, "watch where you're steppin'/ I'm a certified weapon." The bully wolf, with his tail between his legs, succumbs to her powerful, "KIYA'S!" and heads for the hills never to be seen again.

The illustrations are sassy and smart-alecky (is that a word?) and the rhymes roll out packing a punch to the twists and turns the author has created in this familiar bedtime story. I liked that the girl pig was the hero of the story and saved the day. The book is pure entertainment and loads of fun but with a moral ... you need to work hard and practise your skills with determination if you are to succeed. Highly recommended by me.

[Crystal Sleeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opening: We've been talking about twisted fairy tales. Can someone remind me what makes a fairy tale "twisted"? (Pause for student response) The book we are going to read today is The Three Ninja Pigs. Can anyone remind me of the original tale of The Three Little Pigs that you may have heard in your childhood? (Pause for student response) This tale is called The Three Ninja Pigs. Based on the title and the cover picture plus knowing we've been talking about twisted fairy tales, can anyone tell me how they think this tale will be twisted by the author? (Pause for student response) As we read, be making notes on how this tale differs from the original we discussed earlier in class.

Rationale: I chose this story as it is a twisted fairy that shows the three little pigs (2 brothers and a sister) as ninja masters with different levels of training. The two boy pigs stop receiving training after a period of time and have their houses destroyed while the girl pig continues her training and defeats the wolf. This tale is from an omniscient 3rd person perspective that allows students to examine all elements of the story without any character bias. By examining this tale, students would be introduced to perspective through the genre of the twisted fairy tale, comparison and contrast of this tale with the original, as well as the omniscient 3rd person perspective.

Citation: (2013, May 01), School Library Journal. http://www.booksinprint2.com.leo.lib....#

[Joannah Keats · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Once upon a dangerous time, a wolf loved to huff and to puff. He’d go around town, and blow houses down till three little pigs cried ENOUGH! We’ve got to get rid of that bully! We’re tired of letting him rule. We must put an end to this terrible trend. Let’s train at that new ninja school!” Each pig learns a different style of martial arts and takes their own approach to training. Only sister pig sticks with karate until she is a master and has earned her final belt after a lot of training. When the wolf comes around, her brothers turn out not to be so tough after all, and turn to their sister to save the day.

The rhyme scheme in this adorable book will bring back memories of nursery rhymes such as Miss Muffet, but the addition of ninjas to this classic tale makes for a welcome modernization that kids will love. The rhythm will engage the smallest listeners in a read-aloud, while the text is meaty enough for older readers to still enjoy it. Dan Santat’s amazingly fun and colorful illustrations will be loved by all, an incredible talent he has mastered in his career. The message is straightforward - if you want to be good at something, you need to practice, be dedicated, diligent, persistent, patient, and motivated. There is of course also the no-argument-to-be-made message to “stay in school,” albeit with the underlying threat of being eaten by a wolf. As an added bonus, the sister is the hero of this tale, which is sure to make little girls everywhere smile with delight.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Standing up to bullies. Empowerment. The value of hard work. Girl Power. All lessons you wouldn’t expect to see in the book that takes a fresh spin on the story of the three little pigs. And, it’s all done in rhyme. Riding on the wave of bully awareness, The Three Ninja Pigs takes the classic story of whiny, wimpy pigs that get their houses blown down and creates a new version of the empowered pig. The three pigs decide to learn martial arts in order to stop the wolf bully who is going around fairy tale town terrorizing everyone. The first pig learns aikido, but he doesn’t spend that much time developing his skill, so he is quickly running wee wee all the way to his sister, the last pig, which spent much more time practicing and working out learning karate. Sister pig masters her power pork chop, sending the wolf running.
I like the stance this book takes by teaching kids that you don’t have to put up with a situation even if it’s been going on a long time. I also appreciate the way the pig with the best work ethic is rewarded (and it happens to be a girl) by being the superhero of the story, and is able to stop the bully in his tracks. This author clearly crafted a story rich in lessons that kids should learn today. And, the rhyming words and play on words related to pigs and pork make the story funny as well. It’s like the classic fairy tale collided with Kung Fu Panda. Kids will love it!

[Pamela Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Three Ninja Pigs" by Corey Rosen Schwartz and illustrated by Dan Santat is a tale similar to the original "Three Pigs," but it is much, much more. This modernized, multicultural version will lead to some great discussions either at home or in the classroom.

The three pigs live in a town where a wolf has been terrorizing the residents. For protection, they each study a different form of Japanese martial arts. However, true to the classic tale, the first two piggies soon tire of all the practice and hard work involved and drop out of class.

When the wolf comes knocking at their door, although they try they are unequal to the task of sending him on his way. They all flee to the house of the third piggy.

This piggy, a hard-working, dedicated girl, has practiced long and hard to earn all her belts. She is a "weapon," as she warns the wolf. And, of course, she is able to send him packing.

The story is told in cleverly constructed rhyme and is fun to read aloud. For example, when the wolf arrives at the third piggy's house, the author writes, "The chase carried on to their sister's. Pig Three was outside in her gi. 'I'm a certified weapon, so watch where you're steppin'. You don't want to start up with me!'"



Read the whole review at: http://www.examiner.com/review/the-th...

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Three Ninja Pigs is a cute fairy tale retelling of The Three Pigs. The three pigs are getting tired of being bullied by the wolf. They decide to take a stand and fight back.

The Three Ninja Pigs teaches an important lesson to children. Never give up. The first two pigs give up in their training. The third pig persevered and finished her training. When the wolf comes to attack, the first two pigs aren't prepared. They need their sister to protect them. Because the sister finished her training, she was able to scare the wolf away without battling him. Another lesson the book teaches is to always be prepared. The third pig was prepared for the wolf. The other two were not.

I think children will like this book. It has a lot of action to keep kids interested, yet teaches a valuable lesson at the same time. I recommend this book to children, especially boys, four and older.

[Amy Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My youngest 3 kids are all girls, and tend toward the pink and princessy when it comes to picture books. In an effort to give them a more rounded experience with girls in books, I picked this one up and was delighted by what I found. I love so much that it is the sister who works hard to earn her belts, and in the end (spoiler alert!) is the one able to defeat the wolf. On top of that, the book is just so well-written. There are no stumbling-over-the-awkward-rhyme-moments in this one. It flows seamlessly, and with words like KIYA! to call out along the way, it couldn’t be a more fun read. And Dan Santat’s illustrations depict these kick-butt piggies perfectly. These are certainly not your Granny’s three little pigs, and that is a good thing.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would be hard pressed to find a children’s book I enjoyed more thoroughly than The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz. This book is just flat out funny. There is a great deal of humor in the story itself, and the pictures are simply priceless. I absolutely love the fresh take on the story of the three little pigs; this version breathes life into the old story and reminds me why I loved it in the first place. Considering the many high points of this book, by far its greatest strength is the moral of the story. With an emphasis on hard work and getting the job done right, this book is transformed from a simple silly story to an endearing tale that children will both learn from and enjoy. I highly recommend this book!

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book, maybe more than I should have, but for a number of reasons!

As a teacher, this is a great book that shows an old story in a new way. Great for showing kids different versions of the "same" story.

I love the rhyming.

I love the lesson that you can't just quit after a little bit of effort (even if it was successful!) To be really good at something, you keep working at it! It's important to always work hard, practice, etc.

I really love that it shows a girl being successful- even teaching the boys a thing or two!

Highly recommend! Really cute, with great lessons! Well done!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The three pigs each have a ninja skill that they try to use to thwart the wolf. 1st pig learns aikido, but gets bored so he stops. 2nd pig learns jujitsu & thinks he's a pro before he's a master. The 3rd learns karate and earns her belt.
Glossary in the back
Just read the book to both my first grade classes. Here are some reviews:

Keaton: "I love it!"
Alexis: "It's a funny book."
Molly: "Good Karate Lesson"
Will: "I liked the karate words"
Delaney: "It has a good lesson"
Kaycee: "I love it!"
Brooke: "It's punchy"
Garrett: "It's awesome"
Evan: "Neat"
Ava: "It's incredible"

[Magpie67 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love fractured fairy tales and this one takes care of bullies! Great rhyming by the author and adorable illustrations. Not to mention a play on words that practice and perseverance pays off in the end. All three studies, Karate, Aikido and Jujitsu teach discipline. Some children actually benefit from gaining the mojo and confidence of these structured classes. Not to mention great exercise... I say, let's rid the world of bullies!!!!

"Pig three was outside in her gi. 'I'm a certified weapon, so watch where you're steppin'. You don't want to start up with me!'"

[Rhonda K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kid and I have read this a couple times this week (many repeated readings to come since this was a book fair selection for him), and loved it, maybe even more than Ninja Red Riding Hood. This of course is the Three Little Pigs set in ninja territory and the rhyming text is spot on and fun to read. More girl power in this Corey Schwartz story, as the third ninja pig is a girl and she has what it takes to face down the troublesome wolf. A great fun story for girls and boys, and a nice message about perseverance and preparing for things that matter.

[Ma'atkare · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teacher, I love the fun wordplay and the action-packed twist on the original story. As a feminist, I love that it's Pig Three who saves the day. And as a martial artist, I LOVE the way it highlights the basic tenet of perseverance. Pig Three ultimately triumphs not because she's the most talented, but because she does the hard, daily work that her brothers shun (though I'm sure her Bruce Lee gi doesn't hurt, either! ). I'm definitely buying a copy of this for my chung sah nim.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teach 2nd grade and my students LOVE this book. How could they not? It's funny and the illustrations are sharp, colorful and interesting. We teach fairy tales and my students love any spin on the traditional ones they know. Kids also like humor and fun words and this one has both. Books that are fun to read have kids returning over and over again to reread the book. This book is one that is constantly chosen at read to self time. I just love it!

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Corey Rosen Schwartz's rhymes actually have appropriate meter as well. Her writing is really clever and funny and an absolute blast to read out loud. My kids love her books.

[Justin Langlois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the flow and rhyme of this re-imagining of the classic tale. I think the Girl Scouts I got to read it to enjoyed it as well. Nothing like a bad-ass sister pig to put the wolf in his place.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The classic story of the three little pigs is given a martial arts makeover in this amusing fractured fairy-tale, told in rhyming verse. Tired of the huffing and puffing of the local bully-wolf, three porcine siblings decide to prepare themselves by studying self defense. The first takes lessons in aikido, the second in jujitsu, and the third in karate, but only the third perseveres in her studies, eventually triumphing when the wolf comes around...

I enjoyed The Three Ninja Pigs, although perhaps not as much as the multiple co-workers who recommended it to me. Rhyming text always makes for a good read-aloud, and this is no exception, although there were moments when I thought the text stumbled a bit. The artwork, done by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, is colorful and engaging, adding to the sense of madcap fun found in the story. Recommended to anyone who enjoys fractured fairy-tales or stories featuring ninjas.

[Joella · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you are a pig and you hear all sorts of awful things about a wolf going around and huffing and puffing and blowing down houses and eating pigs…don’t you think you would want to do something about it? Well these three pigs do! They decide to go to school to learn how to be NINJAS! Two of the pigs don’t practice or really learn the art of being ninjas. They just pick up a few good moves and think that they will be able to teach that wolf a lesson. But, seeing how they still have straw and stick homes, they obviously don’t really know how to follow through. The third pig does stick it out. Not only does she learn all about being a good ninja and has a house of bricks, she can SMASH the bricks with her hand.

This is a rhyming fun story that I could either tell in storytime or I could read it (if the kids have longer attention spans…which would depend upon what group I happen to have in storytime on the day I do pigs or ninjas or wolves). But, no matter if I tell it or read it, this is a great addition to the ninja picture book realm.I like how it is a spoof of a classic story. I actually liked when I read the book out loud. (Sometimes I like books in my head a whole lot more than out loud.) I like that ending and how the third pig didn’t even have to fight with the wolf, she just showed her moves and scared the wolf away. I think teachers could even use this book as an example of changing stories. Then I would make the elementary school kids rewrite another fairytale with ninjas. That would be happy! Yeah, I basically thought this was a fun book. Can’t wait until I can use it…until then I will have to read it to my 4-year-old nephew. He was a ninja for Halloween. And he likes ninjas A LOT. And he likes it when I read stories to him. I have a feeling we will read this one over and over again…

And let’s face it, any story is better with NINJAS!

[Amy Schmitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This humorous version of the Three Little Pigs will be one that children enjoy. The pigs are on a mission to stop the wolf from being a bully. Pig one trained in aikido but gave up after two weeks of training. His brother trained in jujitsu but failed to study his skills. Their sister studied karate and worked very hard to master her skills. Pig one and two failed to stop the wolf from blowing down their house; however their sister was able to scare the wolf away. This version reveals the importance of hard work and determination. Success is not handed to you, if you want to succeed it is important to work very hard to accomplish your goals. The brothers learned from their sister and began to work very hard to become the best ninja pigs they could be. This book can be used to teach children that bullying will not lead to success. If you want to succeed you must work hard to do so. It can also be used to compare and contrast different versions os the Three Little Pigs. This book also includes rhyme.