The Three Little Pugs and the Big Bad Cat

I loved this take on the story of the Three Little Pigs, in which we follow three little pugs and a very bad cat. There is so much detail and humour in the illustrations, and we really get a sense of each of the characters. When the three pugs are told to go and build their own homes, they set off but with a warning - watch out for the Big, Bad Cat, the meanest moggy around! Treat-loving Bubbles ends up building a house of straw; Bandit, who loves sticks, builds a house of sticks while the sensible Beauty takes time to build a brick house. Then the moggy arrives and after each of their houses are destroyed, Bubbles and Bandit take shelter with Beauty - who has a plan to sort out the mean moggy once and for all.... Children will enjoy the repeated, alliterative warnings: 'Sharp scratchy claws, a terrible twitching tail and mean moggy eyes', each time the cat arrives on the scene. The dogs are illustrated using photography which adds another layer of humour to the story as they are so expressive, and it's funny seeing their doggy habits introduced to the story - chasing sticks or begging for treats. Definitely a fun follow-up to any work you do around traditional fairy tales / The Three Little Pigs. What animals can children think of themselves to replace the traditional pigs and wolf, and how could they twist the ending? Picture book / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Alice Short.

Suggested Reading Age 5+