The Three Little Gators

by Helen Ketteman, Will Terry (Illustrator)

Wanda Gag Honor Book 20102011 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award nomineeA delightfull retelling of the three little pigs story.

Three little gators strike out on their own in an east Texas swamp. Their mother warns them to build strong houses that can protect them from Big-bottomed Boar, who likes to eat tasty, tender gators for his snack. Soon, First Gator builds himself a nice house out of rocks. Second Gator reckons rocks are too much work, so he builds his house with sticks. And Third Gator's house of sand is the easiest one to build! But soon Big-bottomed Boar shows up. With a bump, bump, bump of the fierce boar's rump, he knocks over Third Gator's house of sand. It doesn't take long for that rump to bump Second Gator's house of sticks. But he can't knock over Third Gator's house of stones, so he tries another way in - through the chimney! Guess what happens to the Boar's rump after that?!

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

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

author and mother of two grown sons. Texas, where she lived for 9 years, is one of her favorite places and several of her books are set there. She, her husband, and their two cats currently live in Sanibel Island, Florida--where plenty of armadillos live, too.

Reviews

[The Pirate Ghost (Formerly known as the Curmudgeon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another twist on the adventures of the three little pigs. This time, their three little Gators. This got to be so much fun to read that my wife made me stop reading it before they went to bed. They'd be too fired up with giggle fests to sleep.

I recommend reading in a good Scatman Crothers immpression. With kids the ages of mine, it helped, they had never heard of Crothers or Hong Kong Phooey. So, it was a first for them. And make sure you wiggle your hips and bump a kid or two in the "Bump, bump, bump" parts.

Who needs a Big Bad wolf when you got Big Bottom Boar! (Yes, my wife had fun when the kids called me that too.)

It's also a good book for the nerdy kid who follows directions. (and for the future of brick layers everywhere.)

Good book, five, based on the oodles and of hoodles and iggles of giggles from my kids.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun new twist on the old tale, The Three Little Pigs, the 3 little gators start out in the world, determined to make it on their own and be safe from the big bad boar. Appealing pictures with bright colors held the attention of my 3 yr olds, while the twist on the classic fairy tale story held the attention of my 1st grader. I myself liked to see the ways in which the story broke off from the original and became its own. A fun family read.

[Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all -- I dare you not to laugh out loud reading this fresh and funny retelling of the Three Little Pigs. Helen Ketteman may even have topped her fabulous Bubba the Cowboy Prince with this new book. Humorous pictures by Will Terry make great use of perspective.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spin off of the Three Little Pigs. The illustrations were delightful. The name Big Bottom Boar just tickled my funny bone.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun little kids book that retells the story of the three little pigs in, I think, a more entertaining and easier to learn way.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A swampy twist on "Three Little Pigs". In this version, the Big-bottomed Boar is the one to be feared, at least for the three little gators. It follows the typical plot (three houses are built, etc.) so works well for the folktale units, and for retelling or Readers' Theater. Fun language! "I'll wiggle my rump with a bump, bump, bump and smash your house!"

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of the children really enjoyed this book and laughed their brains out. It was lots of fun to read aloud, and the pictures were bright and well done, too. Very cute Texas retelling of The Three Little Pigs.

[Jorye Harris Perry]

This book is a Folklore twist of the three little pigs. We all know the story of the three little pigs but this book is slightly different. Instead of pigs, there are three little gators and no big bad wolf. Instead of a wolf, there is a big-bottomed boar. In the three little pigs, the pigs build their house out of straw, sticks, and bricks. In the three little gators, the gators build their houses out of rock, sticks, and sand. As the story goes on the big-bottomed bear pays a visit to each of the gators. The big-bottomed boar wiggles his rump and knocks the sand and stick house down. He then approaches the last gators' house made of rock and the gators yell “We’ll never open the door.” So he wiggles his rump again but this time the house still stands so he decides he will climb through the chimney. Little did he know the gators were ready for him and the chimney was a bad idea. The big-bottomed boar never messes with the gators again and the gators learned that building their house out of rock was the better option.


I would share this book with Kindergarten and first-grade students. This book is an excellent comparison to The Three Little Pigs. The book also has some humor in it. Whenever you mention bottom or other things like that, it tends to bring laughter amongst the children. This could be used for a mini-lesson about similarities and differences. Could read both stories and ask children what was different and what was the same. Teachers could also ask students what they would build their houses out of and why. Allow them to use their imagination. Teachers could also have them make their own three little pigs(or another animal of their choice). Have the children pick their settings and characters. It might be harder for these two grade levels to write it out so instead they could draw a picture and tell the story to the class.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun version of the Three Little Pigs. It has a lot of potential for participation in story-telling and read-alouds with several passages that repeat and rhyme, inviting children to participate in the story. The illustrations are really engaging and brightly colored. There are also several cute background details for those who take the time to look closely. Also, at one point you have to turn the book vertical rather than horizontal to read an up-and-down spread, adding some dynamic variation. I also liked the southern phrases and details that add to the setting. Having the “Big Bad Wolf” be a pig is delightfully ironic as well!

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

so creative and fun. great times!! must read. where has Helen's reads been all my life ... i got to read "The Three Little Gators", "There Once Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant", "Senorita Gordita", "Armadilly Chili" & "Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale". these reads really are amazing, if you have never had a chance to read Helen's books please do so ... add them to your book shelf ... gift them to your kiddie friends. families. asap!! so fun. amazing illustrations. just so so fun!!

[Katelyn Stapleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this rendition of the traditional 3 little pigs story was super cute! It was a fun and a quick read. I also liked that this story didn't end with the boar dying, but instead just getting burnt. Some renditions aren't as kid friendly. I also like that this story still had the rhyming elements and introduced great new vocabulary. It would be a great read for classrooms of teachers and students who live in the south that are around alligators. This would be very relevant and funny for them.
The one reason I would like to have this in my classroom would be if we were looking at folk literature and we comparing how stories are told differently throughout the world. It would be great to do a compare and contrast with this story and one of the originals.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

This retelling of a classic fairy tale has been twisted and fractured, and lands in the swamps of East Texas. Three little gators build their houses to prevent Big- Bottomed Boar from making the tender little gators his dinner.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Species and setting swap for 3 little pigs. Bright illustrations.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful twist on the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. The three little gators have to outsmart the Big-Bottomed Boar. Great illustrations.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ketteman serves up a BAYOU twist on a familiar story. Great fun, as are Will Terry's illustrations.

[Esmeralda Vara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great version of the three little pigs, but with gators and a mean boar. Very colorful.

[Velia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too funny.

[Mrs. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever update on the three little pigs, and nice work of author and illustrator, who seem to share the same sense of humor.

[Ian McHugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Texan re-telling of the Three Little Pigs - with alligators 🐊 and a big-bottomed boar🐗 . Flo likes the way the boar used his big bum to knock the house out of the way...

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute twist of the three little pigs, southern style.

[AtomicDogMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable!

I'm from southwest Louisiana and I found this retelling of "The three little pigs" adorable! I'll definitely be rereading it to my little 'uns for years to come!

[Jessica O · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best retellings of The Three Little Pigs I've read in a long time.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average retelling of The Three Little Pigs. Nothing original except that the main characters are alligators.

[Jennifer Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an East Texas retelling of the “Three Little Pigs” story. It has pleasant rhymes and colorful, fun pictures. I will enjoy reading this story to my students!

[MrsMaryLibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary

The familiar tale of The Three Little Pigs encounters a seasoned twist of the east Texas swamp in The Three Little Gators. Mama gator sends her three little gator boys out on their own with a warning to build safe strong houses to withstand the infamously evil Big-bottomed Boar. The gators each build a house from either rocks, sticks or sand.

In traditional fashion, it’s not long before the Big-bottomed Boar arrives and with a, “…wiggle [of] my rump with a bump, bump, bump” he destroys the first two homes. Of course, the house firmly built of rocks withstands the thump and bump of his big-bottomed rump so he squeezes down the chimney to catch his tasty dinner. Much to his surprise he lands upon the barbecue grill which sears stripes into his bottom and causes him to run away, never to be seen again. The three little gators meanwhile help each other build two new strong rock houses so they can all live safely together ever after.

Analysis

Three little gators set off in the swamps of east Texas with the best of intentions but with a tinge of naivety. Amid their journey, they each choose building materials indigenous to the swamp to shelter themselves from the threat of the boar. While following the traditional formula, The Three Little Gators manages to invoke its own refreshing view of the story. Not only does the flair of the swamp set the story apart, but in a unique twist, it is the first gator who comes upon the pile of rocks to build a strong home. The other two decide it would be way to much work to build a home of rocks and continue on. Likewise, when the second gator discovers the sticks, the third gator still deems it too much work and walks on until he finds and decides to use sand to construct his home. This variation seems to provide an increased moral to the story and introduces a more natural flow to the tale.

The text matches the native feel of the book through its expressions and language. Ketteman sprinkles a bit of hyperbole here and there that matches the culture and tradition of the area. They, “raced faster than snakes after a bullfrog” is indicative of the kind of language throughout the book.

The illustrations use an analogous color scheme of green and orange with the common hue of yellow. The myriad of shades used throughout the book create a low-lying foggy feel to the entire story. Aside from a few plants and lily pads, the gators are the only illustrations with the stand out color of green, while all others are found in the shades of oranges and yellows. The pages are slick and glossy which only serve to enhance the impression of a wet slippery swamp. The background in each illustration is vague and full of shadows and shades. The big-bottomed boar is drawn wild-eyed and with a wickedly mean look in his eye, while the gators eyes perfectly capture the wide-eyed look of fear and worry.

Lesson Ideas

Compare different cultural variations of The Three Little Pigs and discuss traits specific to each area as well as similarities the two cultures share.

Find similarities and differences when compared with the traditional tale.

Research additional animals found in swamplands. Discuss the balance of the ecosystems found in that biome.

[Private Account · Rating 3 out of 5]

-This book is hilarious for those familiar with the 3 little pigs--the big-bottomed boar knocks houses down with his butt. Preschool humor all the way.
-The two lazy gators do not get eaten--but they also don't move in with the hard working gator at the end, instead, the hard working gator helps them to build strong houses of their own.
-I don't love that the smart gator has glasses and the lazy gators are portrayed one as a jock and one as a hippie/surfer dude.
-I don't love that the gators who build their houses out of sand and sticks are not actually making bad choices--they genuinely believe that those houses will be strong. So the book confuses the ideas--they make fun of their nerdy brother for his stone house repeating "toooo much work" as a central message of the book but then it turns out that they are not lazy but rather just stupid. Message defeated.
-IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY, WHY ARE YOU WRITING A BOOK? It's like people don't even think about it at all, what they are ACTUALLY saying with their story.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

From January through March 2014, my preschool classroom engaged in a fractured fairytale unit as a unifying theme for our larger multidisciplinary curriculum. Engaging both traditional and fractured versions of the three little pigs story allowed our classroom community to explore ideas of character voice and perspective, engage in our own construction work (with Lincoln Logs, miniature bricks, unit blocks, clay, etc.), write stories individually and collaboratively, perform Readers' Theatre, and so on.

We formally engaged ten versions of the tale of the three little pigs (as well as having several others available in the classroom for informal readings). This version was our sixth in the series and the first to deviate from the pigs/wolf characters. The children (and teachers) LOVED this version. The text was engaging and humorous and the illustrations were SO alive. It was also one of the first versions we read to give a definite setting.

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Three Little Gators is a colorful and comical tale about three young alligators that set off on their own from Texas. The story follows the same pattern as The Three Little Pigs, but instead of the big, bad wolf, the little gators must build houses to keep them safe from the Big-Bottomed Boar. This would be an excellent book to use in teaching compare and contrast. Although the dialogue is very similar to the original tale, the setting and rhyming scheme are adapted to the characters in this new tale. The illustrations are bright and detailed, while drawing the readers into the story. This traditional tale would be well-suited for grades 1-3. In addition, the author’s use of onomatopoeia would be a useful example for students in grades 4-6.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could be considered a fractured fairy tale. It is a great twist from the classic tale three little pigs but with the obvious twist of alligators. This tale begins with the gators going to live alone and each gator making a house of their own. One house made of rocks, one house made of sticks, and one house made of sand.

The point of these houses is to stay away from the big-bottomed boar. This humorous spin and the use of great illustrations makes this fun spin on a classic tale a possible classic on its own. It creates a fun story to read to anyone at bed time or during story time at school. The three little gators is a great picture book worth picking up.

[Karrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My young son and I adore this book (and my older son appreciates hearing it from his own bedroom). Ketterman did fabulous word work in rhyme and rhythm in a hilarious twist on the three little pigs.

In this version the pigs are 'tender gators' and the wolf is a 'big-bottomed boar' who sits on their poorly constructed homes.

In the end, he gets grill marks on his large behind from sliding down the chimney into the house built of stone.

My favorite boar line is: "Chasing you has made me thinner! Now I need THREE tender gators for dinner!"

It's hard to read this without laughing and marveling at the words as well as the artwork by Will Terry. Absolutely a five star.