Amazon.com

Although this book was around when many of today's parents wereyoungsters, it has remained a steadfast must-have in every toddler's library. For starters, it's a great vocabulary guide that names the many things that go (and some that haven't a prayer of going, but are great fun to imagine anyway). It's also teeming with detail-rich scenes and characters on every page, teaching children the rewards of looking long and closely (such as finding the hidden "Goldbug" in each spread). Along the way it entertains with the silly and slapstick--everything from toothpaste and toothbrush cars to six fire department vehicles that show up to extinguish a ladybug-size fire in a miniature pink convertible. What's most amazing about this book, however, is its longevity. When you purchase it for your fledgling talker, you should consider it an investment. Even 11-, 12-, and 13-year-olds are known to pore over the book nostalgically, cooing at Lowly Worm and eagerly tracking Officer Flossie's book-long chase after that irresponsible, speedster driver in a cowboy hat. (Ages 2 and older) --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (55)

I agree - thank you Richard Scarry!
I started reading this book with my son when he first learned to talk a few years ago. He's not tired of it yet (and neither am I). There are so many fun illustrations (I especially like the "pickle car"), and so much going on that this book can be read again and again. Now that my son is familiar with all of the vehicles, and able to point them out when we go driving in our car (although we have yet to see a pickle car in our area) we have fun not just reading the story, but looking for the tiny "Goldbug" on every page.

My 2.5 year old son's FAVORITE book
We were given this book when my son was born; he has always enjoyed the colorful and imaginative pictures, and has been finding Goldbug on each page since he was about 18 months. However, his early love for this book pales in comparison to his obsession with it now -- it's the only book he wants to hear at story time, day after day ... Luckily for Mom and Dad, it's also whimsical enough that we enjoy it, too, day after day.

My Son's FAVORITE Book
I have just purchased my SECOND copy of this book. My 22 month son loves it so much that it has been through the ringer in the past months, with his favorite pages ripped out because of over use! I had it when I was little, and it brings back great memories. But, I never expected the reaction that he would have to this book! It is perfect for any who loves PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES!! If only there was a board version!

Great Book for Generate Interest in Reading/Focus of Toddler
This was the first book my son received in 1992. I started reading it to him before he was 1 years old. He loved to sit quietly and look at the book. He continued to look for Goldbug until he was in kindergarten. Great book for spending quality time with your child and get the added bonus of an educational foundation for reading.

A tradition continues
This book was a favorite of our youngest son, age 31. Now our well loved copy is a great hit with the grandchildren. I have to buy three new copies. In this day of DVD, VCR it is a thrill to have children so engrossed looking for Gold Bug. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

When it comes time to tell the class what she did on her vacation,Olivia isn't at all nervous. In fact, she remembers it quite clearly--she wentto the circus, you see. "But when we got there, all the circus people were outsick with ear infections." What are the odds? But the show must go on!Fortunately, Olivia jumps right in to help out--riding elephants, posing as theTattooed Lady (she draws on the pictures with a marker), taming lions, walkingtightropes, juggling, clowning around, and more. In a marvelous fold-out,four-panel spread, our porcine heroine even reigns supreme as the Queen of theTrampoline. "And that's how I saved the circus. And now I am famous." Olivialooks proud. Her teacher looks mad. Ian Falconer shines in this dryly hilarioussequel to his 2001 Caldecott Honor Book Olivia. The charcoal andgouache illustrations perfectly capture Olivia's earnest expressions. Beprepared to be charmed anew! (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Olivia...You've Gotta Love Her.....
It's Olivia's turn to tell the class about her vacation, and she can't wait. "Olivia always blossoms in front of an audience." And so our feisty little pig begins the story about her day at the circus. Of course, all the performers were out sick with ear infections, but "luckily I knew how to do everything." She tames lions and walks tightropes, performs on stilts, juggles, and even rides a unicycle. Then she clowns, swings high on the trapeze, and is Queen of the Trampoline. Finally, she ends her show as Madame Olivia and her trained dogs. "And that's how I saved the circus. And now I am famous." Olivia is very proud. Her teacher is exasperated. "True?", she asks again and again. "Yes, to the best of my recollection", answers Olivia..... Ian Falconer has bettered last year's, Olivia, debut, and fans won't be able to get enough of this adorable and precocious little pig with her queen-size imagination. His witty, yet simple text is kept to a minimum and really captures the preschool mind. But it's his charming and clever charcoal artwork, with just a creative splash of color here and there to highlight his scenes, that really makes this book stand out. Both children and adults will laugh out loud at the antics of this delightful little heroine. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, Olivia Saves the Circus is a must for home libraries and a picture book kids will beg to read again and again. Olivia is back and better than ever!

Call me a fuddy duddy, but...
Yes, okay, we parents can appreciate the humor, and yes, the drawings are pretty adorable and the pig is cute and it's a smart, snappy tale - but - but -
BUT
Has anyone bothered to notice that Olivia is basically miserable? That she is sarcastic and lonely? That her relationship with her mother is disconnected at best? (My wife, when reading the part where Olivia comes home from school and answers her mother's clearly rote question of how was school with the rote answer 'fine,' invariably adds, for the sake of our 2 and a half year old - 'but of course we don't do that, we tell Mommy all about our day, whatever happened, good or bad.' or words to that effect....)
I'm all for stories about sad people (or pigs), but it would help if we knew they were sad, not just given a lot of pop cultural whip-smarts and irony and cleverness and told that that is happiness. It isn't. If you read this book to your child, please: make it clear to them how isolated Olivia is. If you don't, you're liable to create your own miserable little clown - amusing now, but there will be hell to pay in later years....

Lying is okay?
The book is funny, but it advocates lying. It makes lying 'cute' and does not explain the consequences of lying. I will not want my daughter to read it and think that lying done right is acceptable.

Original is MUCH better
This book teaches lying. It is not as good as the first.

We will keep it because we like Olivia in general. But, like another reviewer, I feel as though I need to explain many of Olivia's behaviors to my child. ("Right now Olivia is pretending", "She should have told the teacher the truth" and "Olivia and her Mommy need to spend some time together talking") I wish Mr.Falconer had been able to make these explinations for me...

We are still holding out hope for the Olivia and Missing Toy.

There are better spunky imaginative kid stories
On a first, not-so-critical read, the story was enjoyable. The pictures, in black and white accessorized with red (see cover for example), are charming, serene and elegant. The poster of Eleanor Roosevelt in Olivia's bedroom can actually make it worth reading and is definitely a five star detail. The spotlighting of a different circus act on each page was great for my 2 1/2 year old who loves the circus. Olivia is a spunky and imaginative child. She is also spoiled and obnoxious with a badly stereotyped mother (passive) and female teacher (presumably anti-imagination and -fun). There is definitely a need for positive assertive and independent creative female protaginists in children's stories but there is no need to assume that the only alternatives are passive or killjoy older females. The pejorative portrayl of the teacher is enough to make this book a definite do not read. Given the problems with education and the images that children already receive, the last thing we need to do is unnecessarily make it worse by propogating more negative stereotypes about school. Olivia's attitude in responding to her teacher and her mother is unfortunately too realistic - there's no need to assume that such obnoxious behavior is admirable as long as one can be clever and individualistic. Adults need to take responsibility for the character traits that we are willing to validate as admirable and provide "people" in books and other media that we want children to emulate. For truly more admirable spunky and creative girls, try Pippi Longstocking, Amelia Bedelia, Pirate Pink, or Treva ("Trouble with Trolls"). The Caldecott Award is given to honor artists/illustrators, which also happens to be a key component to books for very young children. And this book is beautifully and uniquely illustrated. But given the nature of our society and the problems that parents and children must face, we need to be more diligent in what we expose our children to and that means being willing to take a stand and say no to books that don't remove the pejorative stereotypes and negative values. There are literally 1000s of books out there for young children. It's actually very easy to find really good stories-- with beautiful illustrations - so there's no need to have to settle for this story. ... Read more

Book Description

In this best-selling collaboration between author (and performer) Jon Scieszka and illustrator Lane Smith, with music by noted composer Kurt Hoffman, you will hear Alexander T. Wolf tell the story from his point of view. Side one features narration and music, while side two has music alone, so that you can read it out loud by yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (73)

What Really Happened
We all know the story of the 3 little pigs but is it the true story? In the original story the 3 little pigs were the protaganists and the wolf was the villian. But now we hear the story from the wolf's point of veiw in "The True Story Of The 3 Little Pigs!" written by Jon Scieszka.It seems The Big Bad Wolf,with a Big Bad Cold, only wanted to bake a cake for his dear old granny. When he went to his neighbors for a cup of sugar, he sneezed their houses down and he coudn't leave good meat to spoil. So when the media saw the incident they thought it was too boring. So they spiced it up with "The Big Bad Wolf," and he was locked away.

This book is a great read for kids as well as adults. The pictures in this book are very amusing to look at and is good for bedtime stories. Parents your kids will love this book and kids your parents will love it too!

GREAT book for not only kids but ADULTS..trust me!!
I'm STILL chuckling after buying this book and reading it before gifting it to my nephew Greg, 11, and Kayla, 7. And,. as with other books by Jon Scieszka, the huge problem is: I want this book for MYSELF.

The bottom line is that in his version, wonderfully illstrated by Lane Smith, the Three Little Pigs is the ultimate story of SPIN CONTROL. This time, unlike in a zillion other versions, the wolf is telling HIS side of the story -- what REALLY happened. And to hear him tell his story (with all of the familiar elements and a delicious economy of words) it's all a terrible mistunderstanding about his allergy, his desire not to waste food, and distortions by the press.

None of this gives any of this away, since the genius of this is not only in the conception, but in the TELLING of the story. Don't consider this just a book for kids. You can EASILY gift it to friends, relatives, favorite (and unfavorite) politicians and members of the media. It's the perfect late 20th-early-21st century retelling of the story, with the wolf as the poor misunderstood victim (of the police, the media, and his health etc). Just like the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, this works on two levels so the adults will be as delighted as the kids by this story -- which could easily have run as one of Mad Magazine's better pieces.

Get it for the kids, read it for yourself...and get ready to realize what a great gift this would be for adults of any political persuasions. LOVED IT so much...I hate to give this to the kids! Kids of ALL ages will love this story, whether you read it to them or they read it themselves (so will the kids under 40 years old).

It wasn't my fault!
Did you know that the wolf is really innocent? He just had a cold. This book can be a good introduction to the concept of two sides to every story. It's creative and enjoyable to read.

Max's Book Review
I read the book, "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka. This is a fantastic childrens' book based on the original story of the three little pigs. I really enjoyed the creative, detailed illustrations and the interesting plot. According to this version of "The Three Little Pigs", the wolf is completely innocent. I also liked the fluent writing style of the book. Reading this book, you gain the understanding of the wolf's side of the story, which is not often read. I would recommend "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" to someone who enjoys humorous books. I think that this book is one that both parents and children can enjoy reading together! I really enjoyed this book and i think you will to!

An Amazingly Funny Book
I loved reading The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. It was very entertaining and fun to read. Not only for children, but for teens and adults as well. It shows that every criminal should get their chance to prove their side of the story. It gave the wolf's perspective of the story of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. This book was interesting because the wolf came up with such a hilarious story for what really happened. He said that he was going to their houses to get a cup of sugar for a cake he was making! The wolf also said that he just sneezed when the pig's houses fell down, he didn't really mean to knock them down. (They should have been built better anyways!) He said that the media just jazzed up the trial to make it seem more interesting! This book had comical illustrations to interpret what was happening in the story. The illustrations like almost like a collage. I think this is a great book, and that every child that had heard the story of The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf should definitely read this humorous book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"If you give a pig a pancake, she'll want some syrup to go with it.You'll give her some of your favorite maple syrup. She'll probably get all sticky, so she'll want to take a bath." You get the idea. Baths lead to bubbles, bubbles lead to rubber ducks, rubber ducks lead to wanting a trip to the farm. If You Give a Pig a Pancake is a delightful exploration of the scenario "if you give an inch, they'll take a mile." But who could refuse the whims of this adorable piglet? Not us, and certainly not the pig's young caretaker. Parents will feel a familiar twinge as they witness the pig's increasingly elaborate demands, and kids will be delighted that the story circles back around to the original pancake. Laura Numeroff and illustrator Felicia Bond--well-loved creators of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Give a Moose a Muffin--succeed again in concocting a marvelously skewed study of cause and effect that inevitably results in a riotous read-aloud. Your kids will ask for this book again and again, and you won't want to refuse. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (55)

NICE TO SEE THE ROLES REVERSED FOR A CHANGE!
This book makes me laugh-out-loud; it is so adorable and cute!

"If You Give A Pig A Pancake" helps the child see what we as adults go through running after her giving in to her little whims and idiosyncrasies! Let's hope as she gets older she will understand what this book is trying to say:

1) Appreciate and be thankful for your parent(s).

2) Don't take life too seriously.

3) Live life to the fullest and have fun!

4) Be your own person.

5) You never have to grow up.

6) Don't worry about trivial matters; just say "oh, go have a pancake!"

7) Help others; what you give has a way of coming back to you-- DOUBLE.

This is a great book for all ages; it is the female version of "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie." I highly recommend both books; great illustrations and short easy-to-read stories.

Your child will be reading in no time if you read fun books like this to her, and simultaneously you'll be laughing as well!

GO BUY THIS BOOK!

Another favorite read.
We have several of the If you Give.... books by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond. And they are all such favorite reading.

In this book we meet the cutest little pig, and the girl that owns the pig. She starts with giving the pig a pancake (a great way of playing with words with the kids), and when he gets the pancake he wants syrup, you find the syrup and he wants...... you are on the run untill you are back again on the last pages where pig's sticky hands reminds him of your favorite syrup, and of course no syrup without a pancake. Any child loves this way of playing with words, and playing with - what will happen next :-)

We live in Norway, and my youngest one understands only a little English yet, so I translate for her while reading. My dream is to have these books translated into Norwegian - what a treasure to give the small kids of Norway.

By the way, the book is also fun reading for older kids, and for grown ups. Why should the small kids have all the good picture books :-)

Britt Arnhild Lindland

So, So
Just another variation on the first book (Mouse Cookie) and to me the story did not flow together as well. My kids like it though.

A very poorly written book............
I've read this book to my daughter who loves it. I've also read the other books in the series. The illustrations are rather cute but the story is so poorly written. I feel anybody could have come up with the lame text this author has come up with. All her books are the same style and don't require much creativity or imagination. I give the book two stars because my daughter likes it and the illustrations are good. We borrow it from the library and I would never purchase it. For a good children's book, I think the British authors do a better job!

excellent
Totally gets into the kids psyche. They love to see what the pig will want next. This whole series is a fabulous display of cause and effect. very nice ... Read more

Amazon.com

Olivia would be Eloise, if Eloise were a pig.She is good at singing 40 very loud songs and is very good at wearingpeople out. And scaring the living daylights out of her little brother, Ian,particularly when he copies her every move. She is also quite skilled atreproducing Jackson Pollock's "Autumn Rhythm #30" on the walls at home. When hermother tucks her in at night and says, "You know, you really wear me out. But Ilove you anyway," Olivia precociously pronounces, "I love you anyway too."

The New Yorker artist Ian Falconer's endearing charcoal portraits of hisporcine heroine are spotted with fire-engine red gouache in all the rightplaces--perhaps a tribute to Hilary Knight's red, pink, white, and blackcelebrations of Olivia's human counterpart? When she dresses up, the bow on herears, her red lipstick, and her high-heeled shoes are all red. (The only timeher shades-of-gray body is pink is when she is sunburned and the area where herbathing suit was is white!) Falconer does a fine job of letting the spare textset up the jokes for the visual punch lines--a dryly humorous interplay thatadults will appreciate as much as children.

Preschoolers (and their parents) will see themselves in Olivia--a typicalhigh-energy, over-the-top kid who likes the beach and Degas paintings, but hatesnaps. On the other hand, she combs her ears and is unusually gifted atsandcastle building. While we are certainly reminded of Eloise, Falconer'sportrait is simpler in scope, less demented, and,as a result, less adult. Bottom line: precocious is fun, and we're tickled pinkto have Olivia join the parade of, let's just say, individualisticyoungsters. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (100)

When I Need A Quick Laugh I Read Olivia
The cover caught my attention. Olivia was written big and boldly across it. A white piglet wearing a red dress with a black bow tie and zebra stripped stockings. It begged me to read it.

Author and Illustrator Ian Falconer has written a funny book about a little piglet named 'Olivia' who has too much energy. My favorite part of the book are the first four lines: "This is Olivia. She is good at lots of things. She is very good at wearing people out. She even wears herself out." The reader is shown (on two pages) a series of drawings in succession of Olivia jumping, running, standing on her head, yelling, playing ball, etc. and finally (the last drawing) she is flat on her back exhausted.

You can see her driving her mom crazy. She's adorable to read about but if she were my daughter she'd drive me crazy also. In my baby name book 'Olivia' means 'holy'. Not quite Olivia I thought. I got the dictionary and read through all the definitions for 'holy'. There it was at the bottom 'holy terror, a troublesome child'. Bingo! Now that's Olivia but in a funny way.

As I read through the book I could hear myself giggling. Laughter is good for the soul, so go ahead and get a heavy dose of Olivia. I recommend it. It's good for you!

The Quintessential Children's Book!
FIVE STARS! Ian Falconer comes up with a children's book that no matter how many times I read through it, it is incredibly pleasing. The storyline about an imaginative young girl named Olivia is simple and captivating. Whether looking at art, building sand castles, or dealing with her copycat brother, Olivia is charming. The humor in Falconer's work is contagious with its harmonious blend of illustration and text. The illustrations are done in a "limited" palette of black white and red with an occasional brown thrown in. Please do not make the mistake of thinking that this book may be handicapped because of its limited palette. It merely serves to increase the reader's delight in Olivia and her world. Olivia is one of the finest reading encounters that I have run across in my life. Olivia is quite simply... perfect.

Crazy James

Trying to be objective
It seems that people either love or hate this book, so I thought I'd try to throw out an objective point of view. When my four year old daughter picked Olivia out at the library, I could not figure out why. The illustrations are basically black and white with hightlights of red. I prefer bright, primary colors, especially for young children, so my first thought was that it was boring. I read it to my daughter and found the story to be cute. It draws you into the pictures because the text is incomplete without them.

I noticed that some people with boys didn't seem to like the book. I'm not surprised. Olivia is mischievous, but she is definately a girl, and therefore probably appeals to girls much more than boys. Of course, I have three girls and no boys, so I don't know exactly what appeals to boys.

No, Olivia is definately not a good role model, but do all of our kids' books have to show perfect role models? After all, what child is really like Emily Elizabeth of Clifford, and what parents are really like Caillou's? (PBS shows if you don't know.) Poor role models offer us the opportunity to discuss with our children what behavior is proper and what behavior is not proper when they are not misbehaving and therefore are much more receptive to hearing it. Not that they should be allowed to read anything and everything, but I believe that it's important to show them real life, too.

The important thing to me is not what other people think of the author or the book. Rather, do I approve of the book, and do my children like it. In my case, it is yes and a resounding yes (my daughter asked me to read the book so many times that I was glad it was a library book so I could return it!) Truthfully, if it was up to me I'd give the book only two stars. But since my daughter liked it so much, I had to go with four. But just because we like it doesn't mean you will. I'd recommend (as some others suggested) check it out from your library. Then you'll know if it's worth your money.

You Must be Kidding, This book is Horrible
I agree with one of the other reviewers who said that it's for the hip mommies and daddies, I don't agree that this book is wonderful however. This book is written more to impress the adults reading the book than it is written for the child listening. The illustrations do look like they belong in the New Yorker, and the last time I looked that magazine was not for children. There are alot of wonderful , beautifully illustated books out there for children , spend your money on them and let the adults read Olivia.

The most charming pig since Wilbur himself
Ian Falconer has done many an amusing cover for "The New Yorker" in his day, so it is only fitting that he be responsible for the most New York-inspired children's book since Eloise decided to wreck havoc in the Piazza. For those of you who have never met the charming Olivia, this is probably the best book to begin with. Less pretentious than its sequels, in it you meet Olivia, her family, and her penchant for extravagant imaginings. Drawn in beautifully shaded black and white, this particular tale is dotted with brilliant flashes of Olivia's red belongings. Her adventures are quite tame. Following the day to day adventures of an average child, the viewer views Olivia going to the beach, into her closet, to the museum, and at last to bed.

Reviewer Dwight Garner recently noted in his New York Times Book Review that, " 'Olivia' is one of those kids' books... that hip mommies and daddies like to give to the children of other hip mommies and daddies in order to demonstrate, yet again, what delightfully hip mommies and daddies we all are". There's no denying that this book is decidedly hip. I've yet to see a mom in a children's book look as particularly metropolitan (read: New Yorkish) as Olivia's black clad momma. And when Olivia creates a castle, she doesn't go halfway. She creates a sand-skyscraper. Mr. Garner does bring up an interesting point, though. Is "Olivia" something kids actually love and hold dear to their hearts, or is it something that parents love and hope their kids will get into? Who doesn't want their children to be inspired by a character that reads about Maria Callas before she goes to bed?

I don't know how kids feel about the story. But what I do know is that it's a quality piece of work. The art is beautiful. The story sublime. Plus it's a riot. Olivia stuffed into one of the legs of her mother's pantyhose is a black and white joke hidden in the corner of a colorful montage of Olivia wearing her full wardrobe (love the ballgown).

"Olivia" is not going to change the world of children's book publishing. And perhaps it's only ever going to be fully appreciated by people over the age of 18. But with all the crummy two-bit picture books out there ("Love You Forever" anyone?) sometimes it's just a small slice of heaven to read something to your child that's enjoyable to them and fun for you as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks,and bricks. Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed... So, you think you knowthe rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it's never safe to assumetoo much. When the wolf approaches the first house, for example, and blows itin, he somehow manages to blow the pig right out of the story frame. The textcontinues on schedule--"...and ate the pig up"--but the perplexed expression onthe wolf's face as he looks in vain for his ham dinner is priceless. One by one,the pigs exit the fairy tale's border and set off on an adventure of their own.Folding a page of their own story into a paper airplane, the pigs fly off tovisit other storybooks, rescuing about-to-be-slain dragons and luring the catand the fiddle out of their nursery rhyme.

Wiesner, Caldecott Medal recipient for Tuesday, and Caldecott Honorwinner for both Sector 7and Free Fall, prefersnot to wait around until pigs fly. He gives them wings (or paper airplanes) andsets them on their way! In his latest flight of fancy, Wiesner uses shiftingillustration styles and fonts to startle complacent readers into an imaginaryworld even as they ponder the conventional structure of story. His trademarkcrafty humor and skewed perspectives will tickle readers pink (even thenonporcine variety)! (Ages 4 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Illustrations may be hard for Youngsters to Fully Comprehend
David Wiesner's, clever twist on "The Three Little Pigs," takes a story that we all know, and had the pigs escape from the wolf and out of the story itself. The pigs fly off on a paper airplane stopping periodically at other stories. While they are stopping at other stories, they begin to rescue more and more characters along the way.

The author and artist, David Wiesner, used watercolor, gouache, colored inks, pencil and colored pencil on Fabriano hot press paper in order to capture the illustrations in his book, "The Three Pigs." I enjoy the illustrator's use of two kinds of artistic styles within one picture. For example, on the third page, Wiesner illustrates the pig in the fairytale as more of a cartoon style. Whereas, when the pig is exiting the fairytale, the illustrator makes the pig more realistic by using colored pencils. I think by using the different styles within the picture, it allows the reader to really understand and visualize the pig falling out of the fairytale. This technique is used throughout the book, when a character is leaving or entering a fairytale. The technique is used with different variations on certain pages. In the scene with the, "Cat and the Fiddle," the pigs turn into very cartoon-like characters, and in the tale about the dragon, the pigs turn into black and white pen and ink drawings.
Another technique that I really appreciated in this book was the pages within a page. Wiesner used the play on fairytale pages to illustrate the pigs in the, "real world."
Although, this book uses wonderful and creative illustrations, I think it would be a difficult concept for small children to grasp. Some small children barely have the concept of the original, "Three Little Pigs," let alone a big twist such as this one, especially with the addition of other fairytales. However, I do think that this book would be a good choice for slightly older readers such as kids aged 9-12. They will be able to grasp the concept and follow the storyline a little bit better than their younger counterparts.

CUTE AS....A PIG'S EAR!
Who hasn't heard of the old-time favourite classic for children, "The Three Little Pigs"? This delightful book has all the adventures of the original three little pigs and then some. The illustrations and cute adventures which take place in Wiesner's book are sure to produce a smile or two. You will find a dragon, the cat-in the fiddle and the cow jumping over the moon - and who said, "pigs don't fly?" This is a beautiful book that is bound to warm the heart of any young child. It makes a terrific bedtime story or anytime story and what a wonderful way to share one of those special moments with your child.

Irresistible kid's Pick
I find 'The Three Pigs' - an Irresistible kids Stuff apart from the many stories like Hansel & Gretel, Snow White, Cinderella, etc. The kids love to read the tale 'The wolf huffed & puffed' and blew the house is just a repeat that the kids love to say and find out how the pigs escaped and finally, as a great picture read, the book is a imaginery fantasy. Like many other books of this tale, David Wiesner's book is a grab as it has good illustrations, dialogue balloons and style that draw attention, is a great adventure into fantasy world. A good story that kids love and a good Pick 'The Three Pigs by David Wiesner'

The Three Pigs
I am a student at West Virginia State College University. I am currently enrolled in a Children's Literature class. My professor, Mr. Samples had us to choose a Caldecott Award winning book. I chose this book because I have been a huge "three little pigs fan" since I was little. I think it has fabulous pictures. I think the book is unique because the author has changed the plot a little, as opposed to the older version.

A wonderful "what if" tale
This book begins as the story of the three little pigs, but before long the pigs have decided they want to be change the story around a bit. Through their travels, the pigs enter nursery rhymes and other tales, liberating other characters as they go. After awhile the three pigs decide to return to their original story, but they still refuse to follow the instructions of the text. The wolf may still be waiting for them, but he cannot defeat their new friend the dragon.

One of the chief delights of Wiesner's book is the variations in artistic style. When the three pigs are on the pages of their original story, Wiesner draws them in one style. When the pigs escape their tale they become much more realistic looking. For each story they enter, the pigs take on that particular artistic style and color palate. Wiesner's tale is a pleasure, not only for his novel take on the story of the three little pigs, but for the amusing liberties the pigs take with the pages of their story (making paper airplanes) and the text on the page (rearranging it to suit them). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Olivia, like many young pigs, experiences life very intensely. She is utterly obsessed with having her mother make her a red soccer shirt (even though the team color is green), until, of course, she discovers that her favorite toy, her very best toy, is missing, at which point she becomes utterly obsessed with finding it. She looks under the rug, the sofa, and the cat. She shouts accusingly at both her younger brother Ian and her baby brother William, who responds with an unsatisfactory "Wooshee gaga." That night (a dark and stormy one), she hears a horrible sound emanating from behind a closed door, and, in a dramatic scene illuminated by her flaming candelabra and showcased in a fold-out spread, she sees the family dog Perry chewing her favorite toy to bits. As devastating as this is to a passionate young pig, "even Olivia couldn't stay mad forever." She sews up her dismembered toy and falls asleep that very night cozied up with both it and the toy-wrecking Perry. The New Yorker cartoonist and Caldecott Honor artist Ian Falconer (Olivia, 2001) fills his pages with delightful visual stunts, such as the time-lapse drawings of Olivia waiting and waiting and waiting for her mom to sew her soccer shirt and the exaggeratedly scary shadow the toy-eating dog casts on the wall. Olivia fans will rejoice to see their favorite pig being her usual extreme self. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A Questionable Tale
I'm a huge fan of Olivia and was thrilled to browse through this book and then pick up a copy for my nephew. It wasn't until I read it to my husband that I realized what a terrible story this is.

This is a story about a selfish little girl who doesn't take the time to acknowledge her mother's handmade soccer shirt, yet proclaims her father to be the best person in the world when he gives her the promise of the purchase of the best toy ever.

I love Olivia and parts of this book were so, well, Olivia! But I just don't feel the book presents the kind of message I would want my nephew...or my own children...to hear and think is okay.

I returned the book very sad indeed.

Obviously has potential.....must try harder
After the first two books 'Olivia' and 'Olivia Saves the Circus' this story comes as a dissapointment. The wonderful art work and the wry humour are still there, but as others say the story is weak and disjointed.

Don't be discouraged the first two are still superb.

Very Disappointed
I bought this book sight unseen(taught me a lesson)for my granddaughters birthday. After receiving it in the mail I decided I better read it before giving it to her and I am sure glad that I did. This book starts out with Olivia wanting a different color uniform than the rest of her soccer team and then in mid-stride the story switches to her missing a toy. Very fractured and no closure to the uniform problem. Needless to say i am returning the book without ever letting my granddaughter know of its existence.

Come on, the book is great!
Olivia is "a brat"? Parents who wrote this are clearly not getting it! First of all, Olivia's character is based on the author's REAL DAUGHTER and on real events from her life. It DOES happen to kids that they are bratty, dissapointed, and demanding, it's HOW they and their parents RESOLVE these issues is what's important. Secondly, we know by now, that she is a strong-willed little pig who clearly knows what she wants, and what she wants is HER FAVORITE TOY! Mind you, she is not afraid to go to a dark room for it, neither she minds to saw it back together. AND she forgives the dog. AND there is this this cutest comic strip! My son LOVES it! Even my Russian rendition...

Disappointed
"Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy" is about Olivia trying to find her toy and eventually found that her dog destroyed it. She sewed it back up and finally forgave the dog.

Positives:
1. Olivia did forgive her dog so it does 'somewhat' teach forgiveness.

Negatives:
1. Olivia is a brat and demanding. While searching for her toy she does not say please or ask nicely for help & she falsely accuses her baby brother.

2. It is very disjointed. The story begins with Olivia wanting a new soccer uniform that is a different color & the missing toy episode comes in about halfway through the story. The book does not return to or resolve the new soccer uniform part of the story.

I would not recommend this book & will not be reading it to my child. ... Read more

Book Description

Chester longs to be a performer in the circus, but the road to stardom is rocky until someone discovers Chester's true "worldliness." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Peets favorite
According to Bill Peets autobiography, this book was his favorite. He said that it reflected his own past, and he put a lot of his own personal memories in the book. The story of Chesters journey paralleles Peets journey to work for Disney studios as an animator in his younger days. Roscoe the clown as the master showman in the story, is in reality Bill's old boss Walt Disney. Walt was respected by Peet, even if they had their differences. If you like Bill Peets books, be sure to read his autobiography, and this book.

Childhood Classic
Quite simply, this is a must for both kids and adults. It is a wonderful story that teaches the importance of "just being you". After loving this book as a child, I bought a copy to read to my children some day. More parents should take another look at Bill Peet books.

A great selection for home or classroom!
I love Chester! I use this book to introduce a thematic unit in my classroom. Chester is a great character that the children identify with and they root for him throughout the book. When we discover exactly why Chester is the "worldly" pig, the students go crazy!! This story is an excellent springboard for geography and the seven continents!!

Surprise!
Chester is just another one of Bill Pete's wonderful classics with a great and uplifting ending that proves that everyone has something special about them that can be found with the help of the right person. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Learning to count to 10 is no chore when accompanied by Olivia, pigletsuperstar of Ian Falconer's Caldecott Honor Book, Olivia, and Olivia Saves the Circus.Preschoolers will giggle to see reminders of Olivia's mischief in this simplecounting book: "one ball, two bows, three pots of paint"... on up to "tenOlivias," pictured in various familiar poses: trying on pantyhose, standing onher head, earnestly jumping rope, sunbathing, etc. Each sturdy page of thissmall, square board book provides a backdrop of white on which our black andwhite porcine heroine struts, with occasional red accessories. Early learnerswill also enjoy Olivia'sOpposites. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Counting made funny
Yes the pictures are taken out of his 1st two books, but my 2 year old does not know or care. They say children learn through repetition anyway, and my little girl has absolutely learned a lot. It is just the cutest way to learn how to count...my favorite is "7 accessories" followed by "10 Olivia's." TOO CUTE!!! I am sure any 2 year old would love this book & the opposites book just as much as my liitle girl.

It's a board book, what do you expect
For those of you to expect the board books to be totally original. Come on... These are great introduction books to the Olivia series for baby and Toddlers who can not handle the other books. I highly recommend both of the board books for baby and Toddlers. The red, white and black coloring is perfect. The concepts are great for toddlers learning language. If your child is older they may not appreciate the board books and find the other 2 books more stimulating.

Can you say CASHING IN?
We were looking forward to more adventures with Olivia. What we got was illustrations stolen from the original Olivia book and no new content whatsoever. Shame on this author for using the wonderful reputation of his first two books to make a fast buck off of Olivia's fans.

Let's Count.....
Olivia's back with her very own little counting board book, and those who love Ian Falconer's irrepressible piglet will be happy to count along with her from one to ten. This is a very straightforward counting book. There's no real text, entertaining rhymes, or engaging descriptions. Just the simple format of 1 one ball, 2 two bows, 3 three pots of paint and so on. The joy of the book are Mr Falconer's expressive Olivia illustrations, rendered in black and white with his signature splashes of red for highlighting. This is enough for toddlers just learning to count and recognize their numbers, but preschoolers over three will be bored.

An okay counting book
I bought this book for my almost three year old daughter because she loves the two Olivia storybooks so much. The pictures in this book are for the most part taken exactly from the previous story book Olivia. The only two original pictures are Olivia's four aunts and eight cousins. Unfortunately my daughter does not have aunts or cousins so she is not really familiar with these terms. The other numbers are more easily recognizable items such as five books and six teeth. I love Olivia, I really do, and I wanted to love this book. The way Ian Falconer interjects culture such as art, ballet, and opera into his full length story of a pig and her family is really great. I just get the feeling from this book that Mr. Falconer wanted to make some more money from his Olivia franchise without really having to create anything new. One thing I have to say for the Olivia counting book is it's really sturdy. This book would stand up to to the roughest toddler. If you have an older child who is somewhat more gentle check out Chuck Murphy's One to Ten for an interactive and eye popping counting book. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Money Mama introduces the basics of sound money management and helps children develope a positive money attitude. Featuring whimsical illustrations and engaging child-friendly explanations, the book helps parents teach their kids the value of giving to help others, investing for their future, saving for retirement and spending money wisely- the four components of abundant money management. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Absolutely Fantastic
I was thrilled to see a book that teaches children about the value of money. It is extremely well written and the colorful illustrations kept my three year old nephew wanting to read more and more the book.

Money Mama to the Rescue!
Money Mama and her three little piggies make the concept of saving as easy as 10/10/10/70! This great little book is beautifully designed, well-written and features bold, colorful illustrations that will immediately appeal to children AND parents alike.

My daughter, like most children, learned her bad spending and non-existent saving habits from her parents, (who learned their bad spending and non-existent saving habits from THEIR parents.) It's a destructive cycle that needed breaking, but I wasn't sure how to do it. Enter: "Money Mama & The Three Little Pigs". I learned about this excellent book (and companion piggy bank) from a friend (who showed me HERS!) I was so captivated by the simplicity with which the daunting subjects of "giving", "investing", and "saving" were communicated, that I HAD to buy a copy for myself and my daughter. By breaking the process down into bite-sized pieces, I learned that anyone can benefit from the lessons taught in the book -- no matter how large or small the amount of money, success can begin with one little dollar.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who has kids and struggles with the subject of saving! You're never too old to learn the invaluable lessons outlined in the book, and I give Ms. Mackey two thumbs WAY up for her ingenous and innovative presentation of a complex subject. This is the gift that keeps on giving (and saving and investing) -- I'm glad I got mine before they ran out! :-) ... Read more

Book Description

OLIVIA, the spirited heroine of the bestselling books Olivia, Olivia Saves the Circus, and� Olivia...and the Missing Toy, has a new showcase for her inimitable talents and imagination; her very own theater designed to introduce children of all ages to the magic of the stage.

OLIVIA is good at lots of things, including singing, dancing, and being in the spotlight. Starring in productions of Swan Lake, Turandot, and Romeo and Juliet, Olivia is in her element as leading lady extraordinaire in this elegantly constructed set that promises hours of fun.

TEATRO OLIVIA INCLUDES:

• Enchanting scenery, including three full stage sets!

• Six Olivia paper dolls in ravishing costumes, and three Ian paper dolls!

• Teatro Olivia's very own Playbill (trademark sign), featuring revealing plot summaries and scintillating biographies of the players!

• Extra stock for budding set designers to create their own backdrops!

Pull the doors open. Fold down stage. Hang backdrops. Play! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (14)

A perfect book in a less than perfect format
"Piggies" is a classic. Mirthful with beautiful illustrations, this book would be perfect for any youngster under the age of seven. Audrey and Don Wood have collaborated on several award-winning books, and of the ones we've seen, "Piggies" is our favorite.

The story is simple. The child narrator discusses his/her five pairs of piggies (fingers, thumbs), assigning a temperament to each pair. The pairs go through several kinds of environments, changing with the environment. The ten little piggies cavort and act up according to the situation. In the end there is a bedtime coming together of the piggies.

That rather perfunctory summary does no justice to this charming book, especially since the illustrations by Don are spectacular.

And this is the main beef with this board book format of the story (and the sole reason for losing a star.) Several full-size versions of this book exist. At this larger size, the amazing detail of the little pigs emerges. But in the board book format, the illustrations get squeezed down, losing the details that bring out the personalities of the piggies.

This leads to a tough decision: go with the sturdier board book or with the regular hardback. Much depends on how hard your children treat books. Very small children would do better with the board book, while older children would be better off with a larger, less sturdy format.

Still, either way, this is an admirable addition to any young child's library and comes highly recommended.

Piggies Review
Piggies by Audrey and Don Woods is an excellent book for children. The authors used simple content to make this book easy to understand. The book is about ten little piggies. All of the piggies are very active and different. Two are silly, two long, two fat, two small and even two smart. The authors describe each set of piggies in twos, which is very significant because it will help readers to learn the number two and counting by twos. The text of this book can be compared with the story "This little piggie went to the market," a story that many parents have shared with their children. The illustrations in this book are bright and precise. The Woods' use of bright colors help capture your attention and expand your imagination. This oversized book will attract readers immediately with its big, yellow outside cover. The illustrations help to show not only how the piggies are similar but also how different. The Woods did a great job of writing and illustrating Piggies. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to let their imagination explore the world of these little piggies.

You'll fall in love with this book!
I bought this book for my son because I just loved the illustrations. It's a simple, fun story and he absolutley loves the book. I have to read it to him several times a day and I have yet to tire of it (after several months!).

Do You Like Pigs You Will Like This Book!
In the book Piggies by Audrey Wood and Don Wood there are lots of pigs. The pigs are really funny. They sing, they take baths, they read, they eat watermelon, and get muddy. Something you have to know, though, is that the pigs are on hands. They are really fingers. I liked the book because I thought the pigs were really cute.

Student from G.P.

Great book for reading with your Mommy and Daddy
I am an 18 month old toddler. My Mommy and Daddy first started reading this book to me when I was only 1 year old. I didn't like it at first. I just wanted to read my book about farm animals. But my Mommy and Daddy seemed to think it was so charming that they kept reading it to me and soon, I started to like it.

What makes it fun for me is that my Mommy and Daddy play along with the book. Each page has a unique hand position or hand play that they can imitate. Towards the end, one of the hand plays involves tickling my tummy, so I look forward to that. Now that my parents know the entire book from memory, they sometimes "read" the book to me without the book by reciting the words along with the hand gestures, and it is still a lot of fun.

The pictures are very bright, colorful, and complicated. For me, the pictures are too complicated to understand, but I hope to understand them one day when I am older, so I am going to hang on to this book for a little while. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on the wildly successful WB television show, this twelve-month calendar showcases the popular characters of Smallville, superhero Superman's hometown. " Features the Smallville characters: Clark Kent, Lana Lang, and Lex Luthor " Smallville is the WB's "Wednesday night anchor," and the network's number one show in 12- 34, 18-34, and adult 18-49 ratings. " Smallville stars are hot, and are constantly featured in entertainment news. Tom Welling, the actor who plays Clark Kent/Superman on the show, starred in Cheaper by the Dozen. Kristin Kreuk was recently on the cover of Teen.

Reviews (2)

Fabulous book!!!!!
My daughter, who is 6, sometimes has a hard time keeping her attention focused on chapter books. She loved this one so much we plowed through 9 of the 12 chapters in one night and she was begging to finish it the next night. Thanks, Mr. King-Smith!!!!

A new kind of house pet!
Reminiscent of Lester, the pig in the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series, Lollipop is a homely pig chosen as a present by the spoiled Princess Penelope for her 8th birthday. Her owner, Johnny, has trained this pig to obey commands much as a dog would, and comes to live at the palace with the pig. The King secretly engages the boy to train his daughter as well, as she is getting out of hand. This predictable story teaches a couple of lessons to the readers--the problem of selfishness and not judging by appearances--without beating the reader with those messages. The illustrations complement the text, which is roughly a 3rd grade level. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Olivia knows all about opposites. Sometimes this porcine heroine of IanFalconer's Caldecott Honor Book, Olivia, is "plain," attiredonly in red briefs. Other times she is "fancy," with high-heeled dress-up shoes,lipstick, pearls, and a big red bow. Sometimes—-when Olivia is running thecircus, for example (Olivia Savesthe Circus)--she is very "loud" with a lion, which renders the lionrather "quiet." Whether meeting this energetic and incorrigible piglet for thefirst or the 100th time, readers of all ages will be happy to watch Olivia dopretty much anything, even something as simple as counting (Olivia Counts) or teachingabout opposites. This sturdy little board book, with lots of white space andblack-and-white illustrations, splashed with occasional red, is a perfectintroduction to the concepts of opposites, from "up" and "down" to the "open"and "closed" mouth of our yawning, pajama'd pig at the conclusion. (Baby topreschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Get this before the other Olivia books
We got this for our son when he was 3 months old, and this is absolutely his favorite book. We're not sure why, but this book has the power to calm him down almost any (and I mean any) time we read it to him. I think it may be because of the great pictures. We purchased this book before any of the other Olivia books and I think that's what the intention was; this book introduces younger kids to Olivia, before they're ready for the other books. As a result, we weren't disappointed at all and in fact are looking forward to the day when our son doesn't rip apart regular books so we can try the other Olivia stories.

Plain, but fancy...oh so cute
LOVE this book!! Everyone is upset because the drawings were taken from his other 2 books, but that is how children learn...through repitition. My 2 year old reads it to me...we laugh a lot, especially at the "plain/fancy" pic's. with all the lipstick & pearls. So cute! Who would have thought of that one. Check out Olivia counts book too...7 accessories, how adorable!!!

More Olivia.....
Ian Falconer's, Olivia is back in all her irrespressible glory, and this time she's teaching little ones about opposites. This simple and sturdy board book features pictures of our favorite little piglet, on each two page spread, demonstrating in imaginative ways the concepts of up and down, long and short, quiet and loud, plain and fancy, and open and closed. Falconer's trademark black and white drawings, highlighted with splashes of red are engaging, and Olivia's personality and sense of style always shines through. Though there is nothing really new here, youngsters three and under will be charmed and delighted. Olivia's Opposites works well with Mr Falconer's other board book, Olivia Counts.

A somewhat dissappointing opposite book for Olivia fans
I bought this book for my almost three year old daughter because she has shown an intrest in learning about opposites and we both love Olivia. My main complaint about this book is the same one I have for Olivia's counting. There are no new pictures of Olivia in this book. All of the pictures come from Ian Falconer's previous two story books Olivia and Olivia at the Circus. It seems like Mr. Falconer didn't feel like putting forth anything new for his two Olivia board books. Anyone hoping to get a further glimpse into Olivia's personality will not find it here. I am somewhat supprised that he chose to make such a simple opposites book when the original Olivia storybooks are for more sophisticated. That said the opposites are good simple ones that young children will understand for example up/down, quiet/loud, and my favorite plain/fancy (hadn't thought to teach my daughter that one). I think that this book is best for very young children. If your child is able to understand the two full length Olivia storybooks than there are better opposite books out there. Check out Chuck Murphy's Opposites if you have a preschooler. It is an interactive experience.

A nice opposite's books for Olivia fans
I bought this book for my almost three year old daughter because she has shown an intrest in learning about opposites and we both love Olivia. My main complaint about this book is the same one I have for Olivia's counting. There are no new pictures of Olivia in this book. All of the pictures come from Ian Falconer's previous two story books Olivia and Olivia at the Circus. It seems like Mr. Falconer didn't feel like putting forth anything new for his two Olivia board books. Anyone hoping to get a further glimpse into Olivia's personality will not find it here. That said the opposites are good simple ones that young children will understand for example up/down, quiet/loud, and my favorite plain/fancy (hadn't thought to teach my daughter that one). I think that this book is best for very young children. If your child is sophisticated enough to understand the two full length Olivia storybooks than there are better opposite books out there. Check out Chuck Murphy's Opposites if you have a preschooler. It is an interactive experience. ... Read more

Book Description

The pigs are very hungry, and there's no food in the house. Mr. Pig suggests eating out -- but oh, no! The Pigs are out of money!

So the family goes on a money hunt. In beds, under the carpet, even in the washing machine the coins and bills add up, and soon it's off to the Enchanted Enchilada.

How much money did the Pigs find? What can they afford to order from the menu? Join the fun and pig out on math and money concepts with the Pigs! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Pigs need money to pig out
I and the kids I read this too enjoyed it. I thought it had a cute storyline with the pigs needing money to eat. This book provides a good introduction to give math an everyday meaning and relate it to a real-life scenario. The kids laughed as the pigs went frantic trying to find money and ordering food. The menu was very cute and this brings in background experience with kids ordering from menus, which can lower anxiety about learning a math lesson about money.

Great math book for kids
This book is a great math book for kids. It is a great tool for teaching children about money. It has lots of diffrent types of money problems. It would be a wonderful to read the book with a child or a classroom of students and then work out the problems in the story.

I read this book to a second grade class during the school's love of reading week. The students enjoyed the book and I could see them working the problem out in their heads. This book made the students think.

Though this book is a great teaching tool for money it does lack in a plot. There is no real climax or major issue to solve. The story line is basically the Pigs need to find money to eat and that is it.

I like this book
I read this book to a 3rd grader. His class was using money in their math problems. I think he saw this as a fun way to work on math.

PIMA community college student

Pigs Will Be Pigs
I loved this book! The kids I read it to also loved it. They really got into it. They tried to guess how much money the pigs would find and they were adding up the money as the pigs found it. They liked the menu when the pigs were at the restaurant because they were pretending that they were ordering too. But they were also figuring what the pigs could order to not go over their budget. They really enjoyed the drawings. I would recommend this book for kids because it's fun and educational.

Pigs Will Be Pigs
When a family of pigs has eaten all of their food, they decide to go out to eat, but first, they must find some money. All of the family members turn the house inside out in their pursuit of a few dollars with which to buy dinner. Different pigs find different combinations of coins and bills before going off to the restaurant. Looking at the menu, the pigs must make decisions about how much food they can afford to buy and how much they will have left over. Each time, the reader is not given the amounts, and the back of the book includes drawings of the money and the equations showing their total amounts.

This book has a lot of possibilities for student's to learn to use money. For example, with or without manipulatives, students can be asked to find the amounts that various family members find as they find them, and also keep a running total. When at the restaurant, students can also view the menu, and select what they and some friends would order and how much they would have left over. Finding other combinations of coins and bills with the same total could extend the activity.

Why 4 stars?:
I had to take a point off for having a very weak and uninteresting plot line. However, the math elements that can be tied into the illustrations and the concepts dealing with money are top-notch. This book is excellent for activities dealing with counting and the addition and subtraction of money. ... Read more