The Three Ninja Pigs

This is a wonderful and quite sophisticated picture book for children aged 4+, which draws on traditional fairytales while introducing children to comic conventions. In the story, three 'ninja pigs' confront a rebellious 'big bad wol' who is causing havoc at Granny's cottage, the Three Bears Building Supplies and at Cindy's boutique. It isn't until the ninja pigs manage to corner the wolf at Rapuzel's hair salon that they manage to outsmart him - and have him confined to a tall tower, much like the one from Rapunzel's story - although the clever wolf soon finds an escape root....! The story is lots of fun and there are enough clues and characters to find on the pages to keep individual readers happy, although it can also be shared as an exciting, action-packed group read. Older children might like to find new stories that they can put the three ninja pigs into, or they might want to take the disruptive wolf into another tale. You might also encourage children to explore comic book formats in this story. Picture book / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Alice Hunt.

Suggested Reading Age 5+