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Three Billy Goats Gruff
Retells the folktale about three billy goats who trick a troll that lives under a bridge.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 1993
About the author
Glen Rounds
150 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 22, 2017
A fairy tale about three billy goats; one who was small, one who was medium, and one who was large. The goats wanted to make their way to another hillside where the grass was taller, greener, and more tender. But in order to reach that hillside they had to cross a bridge and under that bridge lived a troll. Each time a goat crossed the bridge the troll would come out and attempt to eat the troll and each time the goats told the troll that the goat following them would make a better meal because they are bigger, the troll proceeds to let them pass. This occurs during the crossing of the two smallest goats. The troll comes out to eat the largest billy goat but finds himself in an unexpected confrontation. The largest billy goat and troll run towards each other and the goat butted the troll with his horns and trampled him knocking the troll off of the bridge. The three billy goats find their happy ending in theor new hillside. The illustrations are simple yet intriguing to look at and the story is okay. More excitement could be brought to the story in the form of a puppet show.
May 19, 2023
Probably the most disappointing Glen Rounds book that I have come across so far since of the fact that there is nothing original added to this story to make it his own nor is there anything added to give the reader a refreshing version to improve upon the basic thus the only contributions that can be provided to the author is his illustration material.
And even then I can't say that I am even a fan of the illustrations. Colored like most of his other children-type stories, this particular book made it seem like the goats had muttonchops since you couldn't see the beard, the little goat had a weird snake neck in one picture and the troll itself was a caricature that may have modeled stereotypical facial features in any other story.
Given to the lack that Glen Rounds normally provides with his other works I would just say allow this book to stay shelved and move onto the next version you come across as it can't be much more worse than what is presented here.
And even then I can't say that I am even a fan of the illustrations. Colored like most of his other children-type stories, this particular book made it seem like the goats had muttonchops since you couldn't see the beard, the little goat had a weird snake neck in one picture and the troll itself was a caricature that may have modeled stereotypical facial features in any other story.
Given to the lack that Glen Rounds normally provides with his other works I would just say allow this book to stay shelved and move onto the next version you come across as it can't be much more worse than what is presented here.
December 6, 2021
The book was very interesting. As I flipped through the pages and saw the illustrations they almost seemed scary but as I pursued on through the book the characters almost seemed laughable as the Billy goats bested the troll under the bridge. I enjoyed the book as a free read but as far as learning from it I thought it was slightly dull. I believe this book could create laughter in the classroom as students try to guess what the next Billy goat will do to out smart the troll.
December 4, 2009
Reading level: K-1
Although the "good reads" only finds the author of this book to be "Peter Christen Asbjornsen", the version that I have looks like the same cover, but it is written and illustrated by Glen Rounds. Rounds both rewrote and illustrated the book. According to the inside cover, this version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff was adapted from a Norway folklore. The illustrations in the story appear to be done in crayon. The black lines on the outside are dark, but some of the insides aren't totally colored in, much like you would find in a child's drawing. The text is rather big and there are a lot of adjectives used to describe the sounds of the goats and the troll. As the troll gets angrier, the font gets bigger and bigger. As far as the flow of the book, it is very traditional to other Billy Goats stories. The story ends in a more violent way than I have heard in some versions, the Billy Goat tramples the goat and he falls off of the bridge and isn't heard from again.
Used in the classroom as a read a loud
Content Connections:
Dramatic: acting out the play as a group as the teacher reads through the story
Math: Counting the goats as they cross the bridge and how each did it.
Although the "good reads" only finds the author of this book to be "Peter Christen Asbjornsen", the version that I have looks like the same cover, but it is written and illustrated by Glen Rounds. Rounds both rewrote and illustrated the book. According to the inside cover, this version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff was adapted from a Norway folklore. The illustrations in the story appear to be done in crayon. The black lines on the outside are dark, but some of the insides aren't totally colored in, much like you would find in a child's drawing. The text is rather big and there are a lot of adjectives used to describe the sounds of the goats and the troll. As the troll gets angrier, the font gets bigger and bigger. As far as the flow of the book, it is very traditional to other Billy Goats stories. The story ends in a more violent way than I have heard in some versions, the Billy Goat tramples the goat and he falls off of the bridge and isn't heard from again.
Used in the classroom as a read a loud
Content Connections:
Dramatic: acting out the play as a group as the teacher reads through the story
Math: Counting the goats as they cross the bridge and how each did it.
June 5, 2015
Rounds, Glen, and Peter Christen Asbjørnsen. The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Holiday House, 1993. Print. This story follows the travels of three brother billy goats gruff of differing sizes trying to make their way to the "greener grass on the other side." A troll stands in their way, but through the cleverness of the younger brothers and the strength of the bigger brother, they make it to their greener field. This isn't the best retelling of the story. The pictures are very pasty and make the reader spend an equal amount of time between the text and the pictures because the reader is not enthused by the pictures. I would use this in a classroom setting to illustrate how greed can destroy you.
February 13, 2012
I'm not certain that this is my favorite version of this folktale, but it's true to the story, the illustrations are appealing (and the troll is really scary), and it's a favorite with my two-year-old, though I have to be careful to not make the troll voice too loud or fierce when I read it.
The tale is one that has appealed to toddlers for ages and probably will for ages to come. The journey across the bridge, the fear of being eaten up, the escape of the smaller goats, the big goat's triumph over the troll - these are fascinating for preschoolers. I knew that, but watching my own toddler get so engrossed in the story was still amazing.
The tale is one that has appealed to toddlers for ages and probably will for ages to come. The journey across the bridge, the fear of being eaten up, the escape of the smaller goats, the big goat's triumph over the troll - these are fascinating for preschoolers. I knew that, but watching my own toddler get so engrossed in the story was still amazing.
December 6, 2008
We liked this....not too scary, not too bland....just right.
January 19, 2009
The Three Billy Goats Gruff is one of my favorite fairy tales. I don't know why. I would have rated this higher, but I didn't like the illustrations enough to give it a 5.
June 19, 2009
This is the classic story of the troll under the bridge. Could possibly be scary to younger chidlren, but it was still a good story.
September 10, 2009
One of my favorite story time books!
December 7, 2011
This was a cute book, but was not my favorite version of the story of the three billy goats gruff. This is a good book for read-alouds in groups. It is very easy to illustrate using voice.
November 9, 2013
Traditional telling of a classic tale.
January 14, 2014
This book is fun to read. I like the suspense of the goats crossing over the bridge and the troll popping out. This book could possible scare kids in kindergarten because of the troll.
May 20, 2016
funny at the end
July 17, 2016
Not a fan of the illustrations. Otherwise fairly straightforward retelling of classic.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews