Rubin, Vicky. The
Three Swingin’ Pigs. 2007. Illustrated by Rhode Montijo. New York: Henry
Holt and Company. ISBN 978-0-8050-7335-5
Plot Summary
The newest and most sought-after musical show in the Hogland
Woods is a jazz trio of musical pigs.
But when the local wolf comes looking for his dinner, they will have to
find a way to avoid becoming his dinner!
Critical Analysis
While The Three Swingin’ Pigs is not exactly a retelling of a traditional
fairy tale, it could certainly be considered a sequel. The story finds the very obvious villain, the
wolf, looking for his dinner. He has set
his sights on the niece and two nephews of the pigs he encountered in the first
Three Little Pigs fairy tale, Satch,
Mo, and Ella (references many adults will recognize). These three pigs make up a very popular jazz
trio, and their popularity makes them easy for him to find (though he finds it
not so easy to acquire tickets). Rubin
brings to life the jazz and beat culture of the early 20th century
with her use of scat-laced dialogue (“scat-scooby-dooby, skit-skat-skedoodle,
shoooo!”) and terminology of the time (“Don’t be a square, Daddy-o!”), and it
reads in an unconventional rhythm like jazz.
Montijo’s illustrations use dark hues while still being bright and
colorful to reflect the sound of an upbeat, jazzy tempo in a visual way.
Instead of painting the “classic
fairy tale villain” of the wolf in a very black and white way, Rubin shows some
of the wolf’s flaws in a manner that explains a little of why he is the way he
is. His breath is so offensive it
escapes in a green fog from his mouth, a condition which would render it
difficult for anyone to make friends.
Her portrayal is not exactly sympathetic for he is still a villain. But I particularly liked Rubin’s use of
unconventional problem-solving on behalf of the pigs. Instead of just running away or trying to
fight off the wolf, Ella decides to kill the wolf with kindness and invites the
wolf to join them onstage. He is
surprised by the offer and enjoys the audience’s accolades. I was reminded of the adage that those who
hurt their peers are often hurt by others themselves. Ella demonstrates that blessed are the
peacemakers, and music really does soothe the savage beast.
Awards and Review Excerpts
- Kirkus: “Montijo’s red-hot pictures and Rubin’s skit-scat-skedoodle words make this take-off a hand-clapping, foot-stomping romp.”
- School Library Journal: “Full of porker-inspired puns and clever repartee, this fast-paced tale has definite appeal…this version will have its audience howling.”
- Publishers Weekly: “Kids should get a kick out of this hip riff on an old standard.”
Connections
- Play musical pieces by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong to expose students to jazz music. Ask students if they can recognize any similarities between how the music sounds and how the story looks and reads.
- Pair the story with a unit on character education and bullying. Have students brainstorm solutions to bullying behavior.
Personal
Reflections
My seven year old daughter loved this book. She was singing “skeet-skat-skee doo-da-lee-doo”
for a week after we first read this!
No comments:
Post a Comment