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Saturday, July 27, 2024

Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs, written by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. ages 8 and up


"Then the wolf huffed and he puffed 
and he blew the house in. 

The two little piggies escaped and 
zigzagged all the way to their sister's 
house. 

I'm ready to honk and hiss! A lone wolf 
preying on pigs? HA! Real wolves are 
pack animals. They hunt, live and raise 
their young in family groups.

This is the second book in the Professor Goose Debunks series. This time story of three little pigs is also given a fact check in the name of science. It is narrated by Mother Goose's niece, a 'renowned and distinguished scientist' whose need to assure that her great-aunt's stories are told with complete accuracy and honesty. 

Professor Marie Curious Goose chooses to debunk some of the errors in this fault-ridden tale. Her first point is that pigs are often seen as lazy, dirty and a bit silly. In fact, zoologists, who study animals, know a lot about pigs and say they like clean spaces, don't sweat, and are very smart. Score one for the professor. 

As the story progresses, Marie continues to show readers a kinder version of the old tale. She discusses the properties of straw, the fact that a wolf does not have the power of a windstorm, that wolves live as a family group and are not so bad, and so it goes. Each time a fact check is provided in a sidebar to dispute relevant parts of the tale.  

Good-natured and told with creativity and humor, the book also provides interesting information for kids interested in the science shared. As they were in the first book, the illustrations engage and entertain while also keeping to the tone and logic of the fairy tale. 

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