The Three Little Pigs: An Old Story

by Margot Zemach

This much beloved story has inspired a visual interpretation that has the look of a classic.

Genres: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Margot Zemach was an American illustrator and author of children's books. Many were adaptations of folk tales from around the world - mostly Yiddish and other Eastern European stories. Zemach won the 1974 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations of the picture book "Duffy and the Devil", which was written by her husband.

Reviews

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the illustrations aren't my style, I really like the text in this version. The wolf eats up each pig as he goes along. Also, there is an added bit where the wolf tries to tempt the brick-pig out of his house, but the pig out-smarts him every time. It's well done.

[Grete]

A

[Michelle Farella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the version where the first 2 pigs and the wolf die.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the edition retold and illustrated by Margot Zemach.

[Rebecca Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three little pigs is a classic nursey rhyme book, this book was made a long time ago so the illustrations are not the best, that's why I rated it so low. The story is always the same no matter what authors make it. Overall this book was okay.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Zemach, Margot. The Three Little Pigs. Collins, 1988.

This traditional tale is about three little pigs that set off to become independent pigs and build their own homes. Each pig builds their home with different materials, such as, hay (pig 1), sticks (pig 2) and brick (pig 3). Each pig encounters the wolf, but two of the poor pigs are eaten as the wolf’s supper. At the end of the story, the third pig has a plan that out smarts the wolf. Zemach’s retelling of this tale itself is genuine to the traditional version. This book would be good for introducing different versions of this story and working on the comprehension skill to compare and contrast. The repetitive text along with the illustrations in the story would also be great for teaching younger readers about sequencing.
Target audience: 5-10 (Traditional Literature – Folktale)

***For my motif, I have read three Folktales with the same motif of 3 animals.
The two other folktale titles are:
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell
The Three Little Dassies by Jan Brett

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of my students preferred this version because Zemach does this thing with the illustrations that shows how the wolf moves--I don't really know how to describe it, but we've all seen it before. One students said he preferred this version because the words were more descriptive. I prefer the Galdone's version, I think because the illustrations are "cleaner" and the pigs don't wear clothes.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolf looks like a shikester with his overcoat, top hat and cane. Pigs 1 and 2 are eaten by the wolf, "Yumm-yum!" Wolf tries all sorts of shenanigans to capture Pig 3, each time Pig either outsmarts him or is aided by luck. Wolf is eaten by Pig 3, "Yumm-yum!"

[Kendall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the one I use when I do comparison lessons with little ones on the versions of the story. Fairly straightforward version that is reminiscent of the older versions.

[Teri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the versions of this story where the pig in the straw house runs to his brother's house when the wolf blows the house down--not the versions where the pig is eaten up. :)

[Private Account · Rating 1 out of 5]

-Totally misses the point about laziness not paying off
-Long ending idealizing tricking people

[Lynne Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

But otherwise a faithful retelling, although I like the ones better in which the other pigs are saved