Classic fairy tales have enchanted millions of children worldwide for generations with their familiar characters, memorable rhymes, and important life lessons, all wrapped up in simple and engaging stories. With the aid of picture books, these timeless tales come alive with vibrant illustrations and playful, sometime rhyming, language that invite young readers to explore castles, forests, and far-off kingdoms – all from the comfort of their own homes. They are perfect bedtime reading for young page turners – short, sweet and lots of fun. Reimaging of classic tales, like The Three Little Pigs, build on this rich tradition by adding fresh twists, reminding us that great stories are as adaptable as they are enduring, as in the case of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Book written by Lucy Rowland and illustrated by Ben Mantle.
The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Book is a children’s picture book, a reimagining of The Three Little Pigs, in rhyming text, and has a rather nice surprise twist. It’s a playful, rhyming remix. A rhyme-time delight to set young readers’ hearts alight!
The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Book is a story about a story. It’s bedtime and Ben is being read his favourite bedtime story, The Three Little Pigs, but when his mother’s phone rings his bedtime reading session is abruptly paused when she disappears downstairs to answer it. Two of the little pigs have built their houses of straw and sticks, but the story is paused on page 6, just before the last pig can build his house of bricks! He decides to try and finish the story himself, the only problem being that he can’t read yet!
To his astonishment, the three little pigs themselves start to appear at his window, determined for him to finish the story. And, wouldn’t you know it, the Big Bad Wolf isn’t far behind.
Overall, this playful reimagining of The Three Little Pigs is excellent, and it doesn’t huff and puff working its way to the end or leave your scratching the hairs on your chinny chin chin in boredom. This version of the classic fairy tale has a nice twist about friendship and being kind to each other – even if it is little pigs and the wolf.
The rhyming text of the story is lots of fun with its nice rhythmic bounce and gentle humour, making each page perfect for read-aloud fun.
Everybody has heard the story of the Three Little Pigs but what sets this version apart is its message of kindness and friendship. Rather than houses being blown down and the wolf coming to a nasty demise, everybody becomes friends, with no hurt or upset caused.
The rhyming text is fun and engaging and a has a good size font so children can easily read it. But no picture book is complete without the illustrations, and Ben Mantle has done a superb job with the full page, colour illustrations to help bring the story alive. They expertly capture and portray every moment of mayhem and mischief, including the wolf’s bemused frown.
Kids (and grown-ups) will love it, it has an uplifting message. It features a rhythmic rhyme which is very catchy, engaging and its sing-song verse makes every page turn a joy. With a gentle message of kindness it isn’t a showdown of villains and victims or prey and predator. Instead, the wolf learns to be kind, showing that even “big bad” characters can change for the better. And then there are the laugh-out-loud illustrations: they are vibrant, expressive and bring every moment to life.
Personally, I much prefer this version of the Three Little Pigs. It’s a fun rhyming read with an excellent message.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
