The Three Pigs by David Wiesner

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Wienser, David. 2001. THE THREE PIGS. Ill. by David Wiesner. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618007016

PLOT SUMMARY:
David Wiesner writes and illustrates this picture book about the three little pigs with a non-traditional twist. The pigs are tormented as usual by the big bad wolf and decide to escape by turning the pages of the book into a paper airplane and flying away. They end up with the "cat and the fiddle" and "the cow that jumped over the moon" from nursery rhyme land and a dragon from another fairy tale. They return to their own story taking the dragon with them. When the big bad wolf comes back to blow the house down, he could not blow it down. The three pigs, the cat and the fiddle and the dragon live happily ever after.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This Caldecott winner, THE THREE PIGS, is an example of the very creative writing of David Wiesner. He starts out telling a traditional tale and quickly grabs the attention of the reader and audience as the story unfolds in a non-traditional manner. The writing is creative, but the illustrations really take center stage as he uses two demensional and three demensional drawings. Some of the pictures actually seem to be coming off of the page. The art work captures a life like quality as the pigs and dragon come to life in three demensional reality. The writing takes on a different approach with the use of bubbles for dialogue similar to that of a comic book. This fractured fairy tale stands out from others because of the creativeness of the writer/illustrator. Children will find this tale exciting, different and adventursome as the find out the "happily ever after" ending.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
New York Times, Book Review - "Wiesner's dialogue and illustrations are clever, whimisical and sophisticated."
School Library Journal, starred review - "Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familar favorite."
Children's Literature - "A clever tale that will keepkids poring over every detail."

CONNECTIONS:
* The book encourages children to think differently from traditional literature.
* Read fairy tales and have students write a different ending.
Other fractured fairy tales:
THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES by Jon Scieska
SLEEPING UGLY by Jane Yolen

Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Sendak, Maurice. 1963. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. Ill. by Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060254926

PLOT SUMMARY:
This book tells the story of Max, who plays around causing "mischief" while dressed up as a wolf. He was acting wild and his mother punishes him by sending him to bed with no supper. In his imagination, his bedroom turns into a forest and he sails off to another land with other wild things where he is made "king of the all the wild things". He soon finds himself lonely for someone who loves him, smells his supper and returns back home to his bedroom. He finds his supper waiting for him when he gets there and it is still hot.

ANALYSIS:
Sendak's writing is clear and easy to understand. The topic is a good topic for children who want to play make believe and escape to a world where they are important and where there are no rules about behavior. Reality hits that things are not always better somewhere else. This book is appealing because of Max's conflct with his mother and the fact that kids can identify with Max's way of thinking. His escape to a place where he can be what he wants to be is a fantasy that many children can understand. Max's actions like chasing the dog and talking back to his mother are also universal actions that most children experience at sometime in their lives. Max is a realistic character who fantisizes like all children would.

This book is great because of the creative imagination of the author and his talented artistry. Students will enjoy the pictures, looking at Max and the wild things and figuring out what animals are portrayed as wild things. This book will capture children's attention. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is a book that children will want read to them again and again.

Review Excerpts:
Caldecott Medal - 1964
Notable Children's Books of 1940-1970 (ALA)
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Illustration - 1981
School Library Journal - "Each word has been carefully chosen and the simpliciity of the language is quite desciptive."

CONNECTIONS:
* Children can escape into a fantasy world.
* Children illustrate there own stories going to a make believe place.
Other books about behaving badly:
DAVID GETS IN TROUBLE by David Shannon
NO, DAVID by David Shannon

Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale by Mo Willems

  BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Willems, Mo. 2004. KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 078681870

PLOT SUMMARY:
Trixie goes to the laundromat with her father. She takes her favorite stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny, with her.  After leaving teh laundromat, they discover that Knuffle Bunny is gone.  Trixie, her mother and father go back to find it.  They discover that the bunny ended up in the washer.  Once they retrieve it, Trixie is happy to be reunited witih it and speaks her first distinguishable words.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
The story is easy to follow with simple dialogue about the story's plot. The illustrations are not full on most pages.  The are shown in segments and are of comic like characters set in real situations that look like real photographs of places you would visit, such as a park, a school and the laundromat. The story is a realistic tale that children can relate to.  The author brings the characters to life with a simple, yet suspensful story of a lost favorite toy of a young child.  Trixie's inabilith to communicate along with the father's inability to understand her sets the tone of frustration and desparation. A feeling of helplessness captivates the reader.  The crises of the lost bunny is a theme that anyone can relate to in the instance of losing a treasured possesion.  The children's story show the parent's love and empathy for their child's loss and then the joy of discovering that it is not gone for good.  Willems uses his talents of storytelling and art to bring a spectaular picture book to children and other readers.  

REVIEW EXCEPT(S):
Starred review in SHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: " A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text."
Starred review in BOOKLIST: "...readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing  frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate."

CONNECTIONS: 
* Students write their own lost and found story, true or make believe.
* Discuss feelings of desparation.
*Other books about lost and found:
  Feiffer, Jules. I LOST MY BEAR. ISBN 0688177220