1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Salinas, Bobbi. 1998. The Three Pigs Los Tres Cerdos Nacho, Tito and Miguel. Ill. by Bobbi Salinas. Oakland, CA: Piñata Publications. ISBN 0-934925-05-4
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Taking place in the American Southwest, The Three Pigs Los Tres Cerdos Nacho, Tito and Miguel tells the story of three brother pigs who leave home to “seek new adventures and meet new friends.” The first pig, Nacho, builds in his out of straw and enjoys reading the original version of The Three Little Pigs until José, the hungry wolf, comes and blows his house in. José takes Nacho away to a pigpen and makes plans to turn him into carnitas and chicharrones for supper. Tito, the second brother, who is an artist, suffers the same fate as José blows down his house made of wood. Miguel, the third and wisest pig, built his house of adobe bricks. He is working on his computer in his library full of books when the wily José comes knocking. Unable to blow the adobe home down, the wolf attempts to trick Miguel into meeting him in a corn field, an apple orchard, and a feria (festival), but Miguel repeatedly outsmarts the wolf. At the feria, Miguel, scared at seeing the wolf, jumps into his barrel, which promptly rolls down the hill, chasing the wolf away. Later, the wolf tells of a giant rolling pin that tried to flatten him and Miguel laughs, telling José that it was him. The wolf gets so mad that he climbs down the chimney, burns his tail, and leaves the pigs alone. Miguel rescues his brothers and they sit down to a dinner of corn, applesauce, and green chile stew with tortillas. In the end, all three brothers build houses of brick.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Three Pigs Los Tres Cerdos Nacho Tito and Miguel is a new take on the traditional tale. It is expanded and elaborated upon, adding dimensions of Hispanic culture and non-violence. With the exception of the rolling barrel, the wise pig Miguel uses his wits, not to kill the wolf, but to teach José a lesson. Miguel shows readers that sometimes those who seem powerful are not as scary as they might seem. This oversized book is bilingual with the story told in English and Spanish side by side on each page. Bobbi Salinas playfully uses Spanglish to add humor to the story, with “No way, José” in English and “Hasta la vista, Baby” in Spanish. Perfect for the older reader, ages 6-10, who is learning English or Spanish, the book makes it easy to see what each phrase means in each language.
Salinas adds a strong Southwestern flavor to the story with her delightful, brightly colored illustrations. She provides a glimpse into various aspects of Southwestern culture, such as clothing, food and how it is grown, the way houses are built, and what people do for fun. From the first end pages which are decorated with children’s illustrations of the three little pigs, she creates a child-friendly, inviting visual story with her drawings of life in the American Southwest. Her illustrations are full of small details that beg to be explored, adding humor to the story. The visual puns, such as the “You Pull” bicycle moving wagons, the straw seller’s truck labeled “The Last Straw,” and the “No Pork Rinds” sign in Miguel’s kitchen add to the entertainment value of this book. Watching the changing expressions and happenings of the Sun on many of the pages is fun, as is examining the contents of the pigs’ homes. Nacho’s house is decorated in Southwestern style with brightly colored tiles and fired clay tile floors and he rests in a hammock. Tito’s home is full of labeled art, introducing “The Mona Frida” to readers. Every book (and there are over 100) in Miguel’s home is labeled with a famous title or author. In addition, Salinas draws native animals like iguanas and turtles, as well as native plants like prickly pears and barrel cacti. Her backgrounds show the landscapes of the desert and canyon lands so prevalent in the Southwest. Salinas adds interest and depth to the story filling in details not found in the words, such as showing the brothers building their homes or Miguel cooking dinner.
The Three Pigs Los Tres Cerdos Nacho, Tito and Miguel addresses the growing need for bilingual books, for those learning English or Spanish. This book is an entertaining read and also includes instructions for many activities, for, as the cover states, “children ages 3-103, all colors, all sizes, and all sexes.”
4. AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 1998
Review from Publishers Weekly: “This book offers a spicy retelling of the familiar tale of the three little pigs…The excellent illustrations are entertaining, intelligent, and witty, offering lots of visual jokes and cross-cultural references to the likes of Elvis Presley, Frida Kahlo, Cesar Chavez, and Cantinflas. The moderate use of Spanglish in the English text will irritate some readers and delight others. This book is meant to be read out loud.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Practice speaking the Spanish words in the glossary. Add other basic phrases found in the book, such as ¡Claro que sí!
*Perform a reader’s theater. Create simple costumes with suggestions found in the back of the book for sombreros, braids, pigs’/wolf’s snout, pigs’ ears, vests and chinny-chin-chin hairs.
*Gather other Three Little Pigs books. Discuss similarities and differences.
*Have children write and illustrate their own version of The Three Little Pigs (or other variety of animal). Have volunteers share their stories with the class.
*Other bilingual books:
Herrera, Juan Felipe. The Upside Down Boy/El niño de cabeza. ISBN 978-089-239217-9
Lomas Garza, Carmen. In My Family/En mi familia. ISBN 978-089-239163-9
Mora, Pat. Gracias/Thanks. ISBN 978-160-060258-0
*Other Three Little Pigs books:
Kimmel, Eric A. Three Little Tamales. ISBN 978-0761455196
Lowell, Susan. Three Little Javelinas. ISBN 978-087-358542-2
Scieszka, Jon. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. ISBN 978-014-054451-0
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