Customer Reviews
The Three Pigs 
2008-04-24
This story is appropriate for children and adults; however, the reader should be very familiar with the content of the original tale of the three pigs. The characters are well developed. Instead of staying in the story, the pigs create their own ending. The quality of the language helps define the developed pigs' character. The illustrations help create the theme of the story and the meaning of the text. When text is provided in the story, the illustrations are accurate and consistent with the plot. At times, the text is absent. The illustrations consistS of real pictures of pigs and cartoon versions that provide clues to the action of the story. The format off the book is very appealing. The size of the book is large enough to capture the content in the story. The jacket expresses the theme of the book. By looking at the title page, the reader will anticipate the story by observing three pigs. The text size is attractive for all audiences.
Another Great Book from David Wiesner 
2008-04-05
David Wiesner...I have been checking all his books, ones that he wrote, and drew illustrations. I see same pattern in the stories, and he always leave some clew what he would write for the next book. This book was written after the book titled "Tuesday", and in the last page, there is a picture of pig flying. What a talented guy he is. My boys 2 and 5 years old love his books. I can't wait for his next work!
Brilliant and funny 2008-01-02
This is an excellent book on many levels, much better for a child who has been read to for at least a couple of years. The wonderment of seeing the three pigs, who they will already be familiar with, suddenly leap out of their story will be very exciting. It is not gruesome in any way (like some other books playing off "three little pigs"), and the perfect-length, nicely flowing text shows the versatility of David Wiesner, who has written amazing text-less books as well. The idea of the book is intellectual, but by using a wide variety of illustration styles, he executes his intentions most clearly and delightfully.
Stay in the pictures? Sez who? 2007-12-26
I am surely not surprised that David Wiesner has joined the world of modern art with this innovative story that jumps right off the pages. Ever heard of that expression: It is so real it jumps out of the pages? Wiesner plays with this concept and has the pigs come out of the pages. But I get ahead of myself. One does that with Wiesner in the picture, so to speak.
A three-time Caldecott winning children's illustrator, Wiesner is well known for his highly imaginative stories. I personally believe this is his MOST imaginative effort (even over "Flotsam," the 2007 Caldecott). Open the book and expect the unexpected.
I love that this version of the three little pigs begins with "Once upon a time there were three little pigs who went out into the world to seek their fortune." Wiesner skips the part about the mommy kicking them out. The story continues with the first pig in a straw house, the wolf blows it down....Wait, he blows the pig "right out of the story" and in the next frame, the line says "and ate the pig up." However, in Wiesner's version the wolf is sitting there, paw up, dismay on his face, looking for the pig who is no longer in the story.
Thus begins a most strange tale. With the next pig Wiesner has the first pig poke around the edge of the picture to tell his brother, "Come on--it's safe out here." That's all I will say of the story, but I will describe some of the action. Picture frames fold and float until the three pigs make airplanes of them on which they sail until they fall. The cat with the fiddle discovers them in the middle of a mish-mash of nursery rhyme characters and follows them into a dragon and knight story. See what I mean? Unlike the original which ends with the wolf falling into a pot of boiling water, this story has a happy ending. No wolves are hurt during the making of the book.
Children whose imaginations are encouraged to flow wild will love this book. If not, perhaps this book will be the impetus to jump-start that juice. As a librarian, when a child asks me how certain things can happen in a book, I give this standard answer: "Because the illustrator can do what he wants in his book (or hers)." That answer always satisfies.
About modern art: The modern artist recognizes that he is working on a flat canvas. He knows his viewer knows this. Instead of staying within the four lines of the frame of a canvas, the modern artist may do anything with that concept. The most famous, Picasso, took apart his subjects and reorganized those pieces into new forms, thus cubism. Wiesner simply takes his characters out of the pages, does new things with the pages, and recombines elements of other stories to create new stories. He certainly extends beyond the edges of the imagination with "The Three Pigs."
Pig-Out on this Perfect Book! 2007-10-18
The Three Pigs is a creatively illustrated picture book with humorous details for the keen observer. Basically wordless, the pictures tell quite a tale as the pigs become a part of other fairytales and nursery rhymes, creating their own version of "happily ever after" by the book's end. Great for teachers and parents who want to expand upon the fantastic illustrations and create opportunities for inferring meaning, sharing character dialogue, and continuing the story independently.
amusing parody 2007-10-13
This picture book begins placidly (and familiarly) enough, with three pigs collecting materials and going off to build houses of straw, sticks, and bricks. But the wolf's huffing and puffing blows the first pig right out of the story . . . and into the realm of pure imagination. The transition signals the start of a freewheeling adventure with characteristic David Wiesner effects—cinematic flow, astonishing shifts of perspective, and sly humor, as well as episodes of flight. Satisfying both as a story and as an exploration of the nature of story, The Three Pigs takes visual narrative to a new level. Dialogue balloons, text excerpts, and a wide variety of illustration styles guide the reader through a dazzling fantasy universe to the surprising and happy ending. Fans of Tuesday's frogs and Sector 7's clouds will be captivated by old friends—the Three Pigs of nursery fame and their companions—in a new guise.
Wow! Adorable Art & Story, but Abstract - a review of "The 3 Pigs" 2007-09-21
Well, the surprise is on me. I thought after previewing this book that because of its abstract twists and turns that it was going to be over my children's heads - they are boy and girl, almost 5 and almost 7 respectively. But I was wrong. Not only did they understood what was happening, they thought the artwork was really silly and fun. And as soon as we were done they asked for the book to be read again. And after we were done the second time, they asked for it a third time, which is fairly unprecedented in our home. [Go figure. Just when you think you know your children they spring some surprise on you -- lol.]
The abstraction I'm talking about is artistic. You see in this book the Piggies aren't content to stick to the standard "Three Little Pigs" script. Instead they escape from their regular storybook pages and traipse about visiting other fairytale characters. Pigs are seen moving out of one page and art style, and into another story with it's different artistic motif. And whether a child is ready for such a deviation is going to determine whether they enjoy this book.
Four Stars. Very clever artwork. Not a Read-Aloud in the traditional sense, my children couldn't wait to go through it again and again. Will your child 'get it'? Hard to say. The artwork and story here have levels of abstraction that are just going to swoop over some small children's heads as some reviewers have indicated. I certainly liked it, and my children and I would recommend it.
Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery 2007-09-15
This item was exactly as described in the item description. It was in the original packaging and is in excellent condition. I am very satisfied and I highly recommend this seller and product to everyone. This is an excellent book by an excellent author!
The Three Pigs/ Wiesner 
2007-08-12
Because it was a caldecot award winner I thought how can I go wrong. Was disapointed. I just couldn't appreciate the cut and paste feel of this traditional story gone mad. Not worth the discounted price.
Tickled pink with this one 2007-08-09
You never know what to expect from David Wiesner and he delivers again with "The Three Pigs". This is one of my all-time favorite picture books, just for the sheer cleverness of taking a well-known tale and twisting it. From an artistic point-of-view it is absolutely brilliant! I love how the pigs change their appearance as they travel through the story (by paper airplane fashioned from a torn out page). There is so much attention to detail, kids will want to look through it again and again. To those people who don't understand how the book won awards - The Caldecott Medal is given to the most distinguished PICTURE book. "A picture is worth a thousand words."
