The Three Billy Goats Gruff: The Full Story, written by Richard Jackson and illustrated by Katherine Tillotson. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2020. $23.99 ages 4 and up

 

"I'll eat you, and him
too," says Troll, 
his stomach churning something ferocious ....
And he reaches two scaly paws upward
through the boards of the bridge. 

But Middle Billy slips-slides past, 
just out of Troll's long reach."

I have always loved to read and collect fairy tale retellings. I fear today that we have many young children who have never heard any fairy tales. One of our favorite reads two years ago, when my granddaughters visited, was Jerry Pinkney's Three Billy Goats Gruff (Little, Brown, 2017). We read it almost every night at bedtime, and spent endless time looking carefully at the many details on each spread. 

This year, if they can visit again, we will be able to compare it with this new version. They will see some similarities in the telling; they will find many differences in the visual interpretation. That is what is fun when sharing various versions of the same story. 

The billy goat brothers in this story have found fame because of a 'loudmouth bully boy' who lives under the bridge that connects the mountain on their side of the river to their cousin's side where grass is abundant. The loudmouth Troll is fearsome. 

"Just look at him:

gnarly, 

toes curled around stones, 

sapling sprouting

from his head and back.

And his breath? 

              WHEW!"

As happens, the billy goats are willing to take a chance at getting to the other side. The Troll is salivating as he awaits their arrival at the bridge. He gets himself ready. He is not disappointed. Little Billy Goat Gruff goes first, pleading a need to see his cousins. The goat is quick; the troll is not. Immediately following is Middle Billy, who takes place on the bridge; he is also on his way for a family visit. As soon as he makes it across, Big Billy begins his own trip-trapping! Undaunted by Troll's threats, BB uses his strength and bravado to send Troll flying.

Uff - da!

As they join their cousins in the lush mountain grass on their side of the river, the three are happy to relate their own version of what it took for each of them to get to where they are now. 

The plot remains the same; the language used to tell it is rich, lively, and personal for the reader. Young listeners will love the humor, the rhythm of the language, the repetitive words, and abundant alliteration penned to enhance the story. Ms. Tillotson complements the tone and the energy explored in this story with impressive collage artwork. Changing perspectives attract particular attention.