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| Author | Jon Scieszka |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Lane Smith |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's book |
| Publisher | Viking Children's Books |
| Publication date | 1989 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 0-14-054056-3 |
| OCLC | 43158890 |
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! is a children's book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Released in a number of editions since its first release by Viking Kestrel, an imprint of Viking Penguin in 1989, it is a parody of The Three Little Pigs as told by the Big Bad Wolf, known in the book as "A. Wolf", short for "Alexander T. Wolf". The book was honored by the American Library Association as an ALA Notable Book.
Plot
The story is a retelling of The Three Little Pigs from the perspective of the wolf, named Alexander. Alexander attempts to request sugar from each of his neighbors, the three pigs, for baking a cake for his grandmother. Alexander accidentally kills the first and second pigs after his sneezes destroy their straw and stick houses. The third pig in the brick house refuses to give any sugar and insults Alexander's grandmother. Enraged, Alexander attempts to break down the front door. He is swiftly arrested by the pig police and sentenced to 10,000 years in prison for the first two pigs' deaths. Alexander states that the news coverage of the events was highly exaggerated, leading to his reputation as the Big Bad Wolf.
Critical reception
Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association listed the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.
Adaptation
This book was later adapted into a Weston Woods Studios animated short in 2008 with the voice of Paul Giamatti as the wolf.
See also
- The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, another inverted version of the story
Notes
- Molly Dunham Glassman. "Writing team creates comedy for children", Baltimore Sun, reprinted in Cedar Rapids Gazette, October 18, 1992, page 2F.
- National Education Association (2007). "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- Bird, Elizabeth (July 6, 2012). "Top 100 Picture Books Poll Results". School Library Journal "A Fuse #8 Production" blog. Archived from the original on December 4, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
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