The Three Little Gators

 The Three Little Gators by Helen Ketteman

Bibliographic data  

Ketteman, H., & Terry, W. (2009). The three little gators. Albert Whitman. ISBN: 9780807578247 

 

Brief plot summary  

    The Three Little Gators is a retelling of The Three Little Pigs. In this version, the three little gators live in a swamp and their mother sends them out on their own and reminds them to build a strong house to keep them safe from Big-bottom Boar. The first little pig builds a house of rocks, the second little pig a house of sticks, and the third little pig a house of sand. Then along comes the Big-bottom boar who smells tasty tender gators. He knocks on the gator’s house of sand and the third gator does not let him in and so he threatens to “wiggle my rump with a bump, bump, bump and smash your house in”, which he does. Then the third little gator runs to the second gator's house of sticks. Big-bottom Boar, then goes to the gator's house of sticks, where he tells them he needs two gators. The two little gators do not let him in, so he tells them “I’ll wiggle my rump with a bump, bump, bump and smash your house in “.  which he does. The third gator and second gator quickly ran to the first gator's house of rocks. Big-bottom Boar tells them he needs three gators for dinner so let him in. The three gators do not, so the Big-bottom Boar says, “I’ll wiggle my rump with bump, bump, bump and smash your house!” He wiggled and bumped but could not smash the house, so he climbs on the roof and squeezes himself into the chimney where he falls through and lands on a hot barbecue grill. He burns his bottom and races out the front door. Then the second and third gators began to build their houses out of rock and Big-bottom Boar never bumped their house again. 

 

Critical analysis  

    Author Helen Ketterman wrote The Three Little Gators, as a retelling of the Three Little Pigs. Her cleaver style of writing and using hyperboles “Third gator ran faster than fox after a muskrat” throughout this story made for a delightful story that is sure to bring lots of giggles. The predictability of the Big-bottom Boars saying, "Then I’ll wiggle my rump with a bump, bump, bump and smash your house!”  will easily involve all readers into the story. The illustrator Will Terry has created cartoon like pictures that give the little gators their own personality and the boar is not scary as much as he is comical. The colors that Will Terry chose to demonstrate a swampy area with lots of shades of green, browns and yellows. 

  
Review excerpt(s)  

• Horn Book Guide (Fall 2009) The text includes some funny rhymes ("I'll wriggle my rump with a bump, bump, bump"). Animated illustrations feature googly-eyed gators and clever details (e.g., hot sauce is on hand by the chimney). 

• Kirkus Reviews (March 15, 1991) Ketteman's text is lean and serviceable, with country-isms and onomatopoeia lending well to reading aloud. The book's chief attraction, however, is Terry's hilarious illustrations. His funny gators have distinct personalities, and the picture of the Boar stuck in the chimney is inspired. Brisk fun. 

• School Library Journal (June 1, 1991) The colors are vibrant yet ominous and swampy. The textures are also wonderful, from the smoothness of gator hide and graininess of the swamp sand to the hairiness of the ugly boar. A fun choice for libraries and classrooms. -Susan E. Murray, 

 
Connections  

• Reread The Three Little Gators and begin completing a graphic organizer with the different figurative language observed in the story. 

• Read other stories written by Helen Ketterman and illustrated by Will Terry such as Senorita Gordita, Armadilly Chilly and There once was a Cowpoke who swallowed an Ant  

• Create a Venn Diagram and compare the original The Three Little Pigs with The Three Little Gators.