Steven Guarnaccia

When I first heard about this book, I was not enthusiastic. Suuuure, we need a version of the three little pigs as an "architectural tale." Then I got a good look at it and fell in love. This is the best retelling of the three little pigs I've seen for quite a long time.

There's a point when you get tired of all the fancy retellings - of course we love Sciesczka's remaginings and Marshall's kooky illustrations, but to really appreciate a fractured fairy tale you have to know where it came show more from, right? Plus, I think we're so caught up in the retellings and rewritings we lose sight of the basic strength of the story that has made folktales survive for so long.

Guarnaccia, while keeping a unique viewpoint of the story with a fun twist, has given us a strong, simple retelling - back to the basics! The three pigs, stylishly dressed in suits, set off into the world from their mother's house. They construct their houses of metal scraps, glass, and finally concrete and stone. The big bad wolf, suitably attired in black leather, blows down the first two houses but can't make a dent in the third. So he tries to lure out the third little pig with a viewing of a tomato greenhouse and an orchard of tasty apples - but this little pig gets up way too early for the wolf! Finally, the wolf tricks the little pig into meeting him at Frank's Flea Market...but the pig escapes yet again, rolling down the hill in a rug. The wolf tries to climb down the chimney, gets his tail scorched in the fireplace, and runs away, never to return.

Architectural fans of course will get a big kick out of identifying the various buildings and furniture on the end pages in the illustrations. But for kids, this is one fun story. It has all the classic elements of the original folktale, with plenty of modern pizzaz and flourish.

Verdict: Recommended for the story and the clean, excellent art. Read this one aloud to preschool and up so they'll be able to appreciate Sciesczka's fractured retelling when they're older! show less

Retelling: In this interesting perspective of the classic tale of the three little pigs, author Steven Guarnaccia's pigs erect some of the most famous architectural designs in the world. In another twist, the classic pigs outwit the fox by arriving to his "meetings" earlier than the specified time so that they could take advantage of him.

Thoughts and Feelings: This book made me want to organize a three-little-pigs architectural fair, where students design their own model houses out of found show more materials and an imaginary wolf (a modified squirt toy) comes at the end to try to blow them down. Prizes are given to the houses that stand. :)

My mother would love this book! She's an architect and she particularly likes Frank Lloyd Wright, architect of the strongest pig's house. show less

This book made me laugh! There are so many versions of this fairy tale and this is one of my favorites. This book was so creative and funny. The pigs were portrayed as these smart architects but, of course the third pig was the smartest, as always. I really liked how this book took a different take on the fairy tale that was somewhat outside of the box. The pigs were modern day pigs with modern day building ideas and the wolf was this big bad guy who almost looked like a character from the show more movie "Grease". The illustrations were colorful and humorous. Great book. show less

A Twist on the Original Three Little Pigs: Though the wolf is cunning as ever, the pigs are anything but typical. They’re creative, with a flair for architecture and design. Their homes made out of scraps, glass, or stone and concrete inspired by three famous architectures: Frank Gehry, Phillip Johnson, and Frank Lloyd Wright.