The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Jerry Pinkney

The Three Billy Goats Gruff Reviews

• 
  Barbara

  I simply do not know how this picture book could be improved in any respect. Not only has Jerry Pinkney chosen one of my all-time favorite traditional tales, but he's changed it ever so slightly and then shared his thinking process with readers. Along the way, he prompts readers to think about how to stand up to the bullies in their lives and how they can foster change. Of course, the book tells the story of three billy goats who want to reach greener pastures, but are prevented from doing so by a grumpy old troll. As the first two goats trick him into waiting for a larger goat to serve as his meal, the troll is overcome with gluttony and lets them pass. The largest goat then tosses him into the river where even a large fish isn't interested in eating him. While the goats now can graze to their heart's content, the final illustration and the end papers seem to show that he's no longer living under that bridge or making life miserable for other creatures. Instead, he's shown building a house from stones and even accepting some help from the billy goats. This interpretation really made me stop and think and go, "Hmmm!" Created with pencil and watercolor, the illustrations are rich in detail and utilize some of the elements of cartoon panels with words such as BAM! and SPLASH! appearing across the pages, almost as though they were a part of the action. Not only is this a delightful read aloud, but it contains an important lesson or two for young readers and keeps alive a story that has long been part of the oral tradition of our culture. I'm so glad that Jerry Pinkney gravitates to stories like this one, and I am blown away by the detail in every single image. (Methinks I won't be the only one.)
• 
  Tasha

  Pinkney continues his foray into classic folktales with this new book. With its focus on fooling a bully, this is a timely tale to tackle. Pinkney uses great skill to whittle the text down to exactly what is needed to carry the story forward. The book is not a reinvention of the original tale, but instead a focused version of the original that will have children cheering the brave goats. Pinkney does add a nice touch to the end with the troll getting harried himself and then rejected in a clever mirror of what he did to the goats.
  
  The illustrations from this Caldecott winning artist are exceptional as always. Pinkney uses pencil and watercolor to create his rich illustrations that have small details, large landscapes and animals. The goats are winsome and courageous while the troll is a vile green with long toenails, tusk-like teeth, and rotting fish and fish skeletons around him.
  
  Another must-have for every library by a master author/illustrator. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
• 
  Emma

  Really great retelling. I really love that Jerry Pinkney also include a note at the end about his interpretive choices and the story. Delightful. Of course.
• 
  The Library Lady

  The art is, as always, Caldecott worthy, but that said, it's Jan Brett like. And I don't say that as a compliment, but because a lot of her art work is beautiful, but too complex to harmonize with the storytelling.
  
  Let's get onto the storytelling. I have no problem with fracturing fairy tales, or tweaking them, but here Pinkney adds a "moral" tone to this, where the troll might "learn his lesson." Or "redeem himself."
  
  Barf. Stick with the one, the only, the classic
  Paul Galdone version of this story. His
  The Three Billy Goats Gruff stays faithful to the original, and the language feels like a good translation from the original Norwegian. How can you tell this story without the immortal:
  "Snip, snap, snout, this tale's told out." ?
  
  I certainly can't.
• 
  Neeli

  Jerry Pinkney's version of an all-time favourite folk-tale does not disappoint. I enjoyed the fabulous illustrations, the alternate ending and the artist's note at the end of the book. Young children will love to read this book aloud as they will have a chance to dramatize the different sound effects.
• 
  AMY

  Great illustrations for a retelling of an old folktale. There is a different ending as the author explores an alternate handling of a bully. I liked it and think it should spark some discussion. The treatment of the ugly troll was interesting and well-drawn. The author is gifted and expresses lots of emotion through his characters and their renditions on paper. Kids will love this one. Bravo! Highly recommended for Grades 2-5.
• 
  Edward Sullivan

  Another exceptional folktale adaptation.
• 
  Catherine Woodman

  I am torn on the rating of this book, because it is a picture book and so the illustrations weigh just as heavily as the words. The three billy goats gruff is not a deeply nuanced story, but I found the telling here to be dwarfed in beauty by the gorgeous illustrations. If you have a visual child who will pore over the pictures, this is an amazing book.
• 
  Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*

  Pinkney, Jerry The Three Billy Goats Gruff, 20 pages. Little Brown, 2017. $18. PICTURE BOOK
  
  This is a fairly traditional re-telling of this Norwegian folktale. The three goats try to cross a bridge in order to reach greener pastures, but a nasty hungry troll guards the way. The ending is changed from the traditional story -now the troll learns a valuable lesson indeed and may even make a change for the better. Illustrations are also by the author.
  
  I LOVED this book! It’s a fantastic re-telling! The illustrations are incredible, with a variety of stunning perspectives and adorable goats. I loved the liberties Pinkney took with the ending. This is a great addition for your fairytale and folktales collection. I would add this book to my library in a heartbeat.
  
  EL(K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author
  
  https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
• 
  Margaret

  More than one hundred fifty years ago a fairy tale emerged from a far north country. It is a story based on need and greed. The one prompts teamwork to overcome a bully dominated by the other.
  
  Some versions have shown it to be a contest where there are only winners and a loser. The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Little, Brown and Company, May 9, 2017) written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney asks readers to ponder other possibilities. It extends the "what if" beyond the story's ending.
  
  
  My full recommendation:
  http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
• 
  Kris

  Illustrated in watercolor & pencil
  
  Jerry Pinkney gives his own twist to the classic story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Very busy illustrations, lots of action and noise - which are appropriate. My favorite elements are the troll and the crow. The troll is SO creepy, adorned with fish bones and fish heads...and the crow often mirrors his actions, such as the double-page spread with the littlest billy goat crossing the bridge and confronting the troll. Both the crow and the troll are in the same position, as if the crow is mimicking the troll (or maybe its the other way around?). And then there is the giant fish - an additional character not found in traditional tellings, but foreshadowed in the troll's fish bone ornamentation. I was kind of puzzled by the addition of the fish, although Pinkney does explain his reasoning for changing up the story. I suppose I'm just a sucker for tradition in traditional stories. Regardless, the artwork is exquisite, thus the 4-star review. Interesting take on one of my favorite stories.
• 
  Becky B

  Pinkney retells the classic story of a troll, the bridge he guards, and three billy goats who want to cross the bridge.
  
  Hands down this is 1) the best illustrated version of this tale, and 2) the best ending to this tale (which Pinkney added his own twist to...don't miss the end papers!!!). That said, I think Pinkney's troll would have scared me as a child. He is green, and ugly, and has a tail. On the other hand, his goats are so realistic and the littlest one is adorable. Childhood me might have been able to overcome the scary troll for the sake of the cute goats. Don't miss Pinkney's note in the back about how and why he changed the ending. I applaud his reasoning, and love that his ending turns this into a tale in which the bad guy has a change of heart instead of just getting destroyed. Even though there are already tons of Three Billy Goats Gruff books out there, this is still a splendid addition to the book world.
• 
  Alice

  Jerry Pinkney never disappoints me--I was so eager to read/experience his interpretation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. It's a winner. Not a page or space is wasted from front inside cover to end cover there are details to relish and ponder that tell more of the story like the progressions of the illustrations per goat. You'll love the title page--clever use of the bridge and all the characters. The story is mostly traditional and has always been my favorite to story tell. Now with Jerry's new, yet traditional telling, I have a large visual to read aloud that rich in offering children discovery, imagination, detail, surprise, and questioning. Jerry closes with his own notes (I love it when authors/illustrators do this) which help us understand and look deeper into his artistic, soul-infused work.
• 
  Scott Jordan

  Title: The Three Billy Goats Gruff
  Author: Jerry Pinkney
  Awards: Publisher's Weekly: Best Books of 2017
  
  Summary: Jerry Pinkney delivers and a new version of the classic tale with a new twist to the ending. There is still a greedy troll who bullies Billy Goats and still gets his comeuppance, however in way that might just make him rethink his choices...
  
  Review / Application: This retelling would fall into the category of a genre exploration of Fairy Tales. It may be reviewed with first-grade students for a study of fairy tales. However, it might be more conducive to an exploration of a plot for second-grade students. Identifying the problem, rising action, climax, and resolution would be both fun and an interesting dynamic for this population. An excellent book for a first or second-grade classroom.
• 
  Juliana Lee

  Reinvented classic story. The three billy goats take turns crossing the troll's bridge to the other side of the river to eat the green grass there. Each one encounters the troll who threatens to eat them and they must use their wits to cross over. When the largest of the billy goats throws the troll into the river, this retelling takes a new turn... this time, the troll encounters a huge fish who threatens to eat him! As the story goes, the goats live happily crossing over the bridge from one side to the other at ease and if you look carefully at the end pages, you will see that the troll escaped the fish and is also living on the mountain building a stone house with the help of the largest billy goat.
• 
  Elizabeth

  I love this gorgeous rendition of a traditional favorite! Troll gets a taste of his own medicine. In the end note, Jerry Pinkney tells us, "I invented the character of the giant fish to offer a way for the troll to recognize what he'd done to others and to experience his word-bullying from another point of view." Further, later on in the note he says, "Ultimately it was only my imagination, however, that could invent the characters of these ever-so-relatable billy goats Gruff. They are, like many of us, both meek and at the same time strong in the face of adversity...and they must work together to 'stand up to the bullies' and be a force of change." c) 2017
• 
  Sarah

  Another beautifully done folktale by Pinkney. He changes the ending of the story a bit to give the troll a chance at redemption. I do remember my grandma reading me Ellen Rudin's version
  The Three Billy Goats Gruff when I was little, and I think the new ending didn't sit well with my fond memories. However, what he did was very noble- giving the troll a chance and all that...
  
  As usual with his folktales, don't forget to check the end pages!
• 
  Amy Layton

  Jerry Pinkney is probably one of the most talented watercolor artists I've seen.  There's just something about his art that is beautiful and realistic and fun all at the same time.  Pinkney is also one of the most masterful story retellers I've seen--everything he writes is just so genuine and pure, especially as it relates to the source material in regards to children today.  I can easily see why this is a contender for the Caldecott.
  
  Review cross-listed
  here!
• 
  Zan Porter

  
  As usual, Pinkney's beautiful illustrations add dimension to the classic folktale. What makes this different from the traditional story is the slight twist to the story, leaving it open for the troll to learn his lesson and receive redemption. An artist's note makes reference to the need to bravely stand up to bullies - the "trolls" we might run into in real life. The dedication of the book also made me smile: "To all of my fellow Capricorns." :)
• 
  Carol V

  The Three Billy Goats Gruff has been one of my all-time favorite stories. I read it many times as a child, and years later, I shared the story with my children and students. Jerry Pinkney shares this Norwegian tale of the 1800s with the same sense of humor, fright, and suspense, but he also showcases anti-bullyism, facing consequences, living by the golden rule, and forgiveness! The illustrations are filled with wonder and emotion! A must read!
• 
  Gps

  I have mixed emotions about the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff, viewing it as a bit of a violent saga, without much redeeming virtue.
  
  PInkney seems to recognize this, and if you look closely at the endpaper you will see how the goats are cooperating with the troll, so maybe the troll learned his lesson.
  
  of course, just great illustrations, and a familiar, yet slightly modified storyline.