The Three Little Javelinas (Reading Rainbow Book)

Cute spin on an old story. Highly recommend!

I picked this up for my three-year-old at a used book store while I was on business in Tucson. She has a "Three Little Pigs book, so I thought this would be fun for her. I read it on the plane, and found it to be educational and funny, and the artwork is superb. When I got home, my daughter was just getting ready for bed, so we decided to read it. She just loved it! I look forward to reading it again. This book is also a great reminder of the desert Southwest.

The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell offers a twist on the classic children's story of the three little pigs. The three little javelinas (a wild, hairy southwestern cousin of pigs) live in a house of tumbleweeds, a house of saguaro ribs (from fallen giant cacti), and a house of bricks - but when a hungry coyote comes calling, only the house of bricks is strong enough to seek shelter in! An engaging fable, with unique anthropomorphic color illustrations by Jim Harris, The Three Little Javelinas is an entertaining and transplanted storybook retelling of a classic children's fairytale favorite.

My girls and I have read this book many times. The subtle multiculturalism of the book comes across in a humorous, pleasant way. Coyote is the consumate trickster of generic Native American folklore, and the javelinas get help from Native and Latino people in the construction of their homes. The drawings are well done and the story sticks close to the classical version with a dash of southwestern spice. Recommended for children 3-7 and their parents.

I love the less gruesome details--the way I always told it--with nobody actually eaten or hurt. And I appreciate the new southwestern vocabulary, expressions, and illustrations. My grandchildren love it. And my grown-up children all had to read it, too.

I'd like to reserve the "10" for vaarious editions of the bible and/or Shakespeare, but this English-Spanish new-age Southwestern styled rendition of the old stand-by "The Three Little Pigs" will have you and your kids just roaring with laughter as you also sneak in some serious home learning on a second language. The Javelinas will keep you on the edge of your seat in the dust of the great Southwest. Fun and real learning in one package...a great gift for your kids who are fascinated by new versions of the old favorite fairytales and interested in language skill development.