A+Critical+Review+of+The+True+Story+of+the+3+Little+Pigs

=A Critical Review of Lane Smith’s illustrations in...= =//The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!//=

“Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do.” (Scieszka, 1989) It’s hardly to believe that it has been 21 years since those words were first published in Scieszka and Smith’s picture book, //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.// This “blithe parody” (Long, 2009) of this classic tale continues to fly off the shelves in bookstores and libraries everywhere, even after 21 years in print. The comical, mild satire of the story being told through the eyes of the wolf is an excellent choice for teachers doing lessons on perspective or the latest craze in English writing classes called “fractured fairy tales”. Jon Scieszka himself has created a whole website around this writing style, highlighting his book, [|The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.] However, the “true story” behind the creation of this well-loved and popular book does not really come from the written text alone but more aptly from the inclusion of the perfect accompanying illustrations. The “true story” IS that Jon was having a difficult time finding someone to publish his story. It was his collaborative work with Lane Smith that brought out the vivid, cunning and remarkably likeable character of A. Wolf, as the wolf sympathetically recounts his side of the “Three Little Pigs” incident. Children, parents and educators alike enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humour that Smith and Scieszka deliver in their twisted retelling and re-imagining of this classic tale. So let’s take a closer look at Lane Smith’s illustrations in //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs// (Scieszka, 1989). To begin, it’s easy to see that Smith uses the painterly technique in his illustrations, particularly in his work in this book. In his interview for Penguin Book Publishers (2000), Lane describes his technique in more detail, “ I paint on board, building up several thin glazes of the oil, sealing them between coats with an acrylic spray varnish. This not only dries the oil instantly, but also causes a chemical reaction between the oil and the acrylic... Then I go in with a fine brush and add details, lights and darks, etc.” The chemical reaction that Lane mentions is what creates the fuzzy, bubbled, texture effect that we see in his illustrations. In the same interview, Lane conveys his love for other artists who have used a layered technique and enjoy playing with surfaces. It’s not hard to see the influences of some of his favourite artists in his //own// work. From the sketches of Edward Lear, Maurice Sendak and Tomi Ungerer, we can observe the comical influences in Lane’s illustrations and with N.C.Wyeth and Arthur Rackham, one can see the oil painting technique and darker side of Smith’s style. However, I believe that it is Lane’s unique textured, soft edges alongside his choice of darker warm colour palettes that distinguishes his style in the picture book world. In his more recent work, Smith has been adding the collage effect with the aid of technology. He is able to scan his work into the computer and then cut and paste it where ever he likes, to give the illusion of a real collage. In another interview for //Just One More Book// in their “Rock Stars of Reading Rocket” series, Lane describes himself as a neat artist, taping off his edges to keep things clean. It’s hard to believe when he’s quoted as saying, “I love texture and grunge!” (Penguin, 2000) Fig. 1Fig. 2 Fig. 3 As I began to evaluate the elements of art in Smith’s illustrations for //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs//, it is easy to see how the element of line plays an integral role in the movement that he creates during the telling of this story. The lines of the straw blowing everywhere when the door falls in (Fig.1), the line strokes around his big nose when he feels it starting to itch (Fig.2)and the soft lines contrasted with the straw in his first grand sneeze on the straw house fills the double page spread with the energy and explosion of his sneeze (Fig.3). It is without a doubt, the soft edges contouring his images (animal or object) that bring warmth and vitality to the story. Being that the text tells a tale from the dastardly “big bad wolf’s” point of view, the softer texture of the illustrations and characters, help the reader to feel some sympathy for the wolf. The choice of warm, earthy yet dark colors definitely help to convey a specific mood in the telling of the story. The warm colours are inviting and safe, while the dark shadows and shading give the story its comical mystery and perhaps sinister flavour. As mentioned earlier, the element of texture is probably the most prominent feature in Lane Smith’s illustrations. The texture of the pictures in //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs// almost gives it a dream-like quality which complements the story’s premise of having the wolf narrate his own version of the story as it took place in **his** mind. Smith himself describes the illustrations in //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs// as being “dark and textural...giving the story more weight and gravity” (Just One More Book, 2008). Fig. 4 Fig.5 Fig.6 Since the story is being told from the point of view of the wolf, the art principle of perspective plays a key role throughout the illustrations. On every page, Smith has included the wolf in the illustrations, usually in a very favourable light, wearing a comfortable sweater, bowtie and sporting reading glasses (Fig.4). The reader is given a very different allusion of our stereotypical “big bad wolf” with Smith illustrating a much softer exterior and kinder expressions on the wolf’s face. With the illustrations always conveying what the wolf sees, we are following the ‘first person’ narration of this story through his eyes. This creates a sense of tension in the story as the readers waits in suspense to see what the wolf will do next, looking for that subtle humour in the illustrations that compliments the text. Rarely does Smith allow the reader to see the pigs. We are only given partial glimpses of the pigs on certain pages... after their homes are destroyed,(Fig.5), in the peephole of a door (Fig. 6) and in the throngs of shaving. Particularly in the peephole, Lane does a remarkable job of illustrating the pig as the “bad guy” with a very mean expression and piercing eyes, making the reader even more empathetic to the Wolf’s plight. In this book, perspective has dual meanings in both the illustrative quality (how we see the action) and the narrative piece (who is telling the story) which makes it a perfect compliment between illustration and text.Fig. 7 Fig. 8  Since we all know the traditional story of the Three Little Pigs, Smith needed the illustrations to create a different mood conveying the more comical appeal of a parody. There is no question that Lane has achieved just that. From the cheeseburger filled with bunny ears and mice tails (Fig.7)to the photo of the wolf’s Granny in the picture frame on the wall (Fig.8), the dark humour in Lane Smith’s illustrations keep the reader turning the pages and wanting to see more. The familiarity of the classic tale allows young readers to follow the predictable pattern of the story and at the same time change their thinking due to the provocative illustrations. The surrealism of Smith’s artistic style truly lends itself to this story as the reader soaks in the pictures and the text wondering who to believe and what that wolf is up to next. Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig.11

"Design is an essential part of any picture book. It is the first aspect of a book that a reader judges. It is the frame-work for the text and illustration. It is the subtle weave of words and pictures that allows both to tell one seamless tale"(Scieszka, 1998). If you are a true fan of Lane Smith’s books and illustrations, you will know that book design is a huge part of what has made his illustrations and books such a huge success. The funky fonts, unusual text sizes and colors, along with clever text placements are all the work of Molly Leach, Smith’s wife. Leach is a book designer and has worked on many of his publications. According to Smith, //Math Curse, Science Verse, The Stinky Cheeseman// and //Squids Will Be Squids// have all been created from “the perfect marriage” of author, illustrator and book designer. Although Molly was not part of the book design for //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs,// it is clear that serious thought and strategy went into the layout and design of this book to add to its appeal. The cover design as the front page of a newspaper draws the reader into the wolf’s world and sets the stage for the story (Fig.9). With most of the illustrations framed in a border, the ruffled edges of the border give the reader a sense of storytelling, almost like they are thought bubbles. The title page on the fifth page of the book that announces “This is the real story”, entices the reader with details to expect in the story; an O made from a pig snout, an A in the shape of a house roof, an E made from the wolve’s open mouth and tongue, just to name a few(Fig.10). This cleverly designed page introduces the reader to some of the humour they can expect in the pages to come. Although the layout of text under illustrations is a more traditional approach, it is complimented with the occasional vignette and first letter embellishments that coincide with the story(Fig.11). It’s hard not to wonder how the book may have turned out if Molly had got her hands on it! After careful examination of the craftsmanship, humour and skilful accompaniment of Lane Smith’s illustrations to Jon Scieszka’s text, it’s no wonder this book still remains in bookstores and is almost always in circulation in our school library!

References Long, J. R. (2009). //Some Pigs!//. Horn Book Magazine, //March/April 2009.// Retrieved from [] Scieszka, J. (1989). //The true story of the three little pigs//. New York, NY: Viking. Scieszka, J. (1998). //Design Matters//. Horn Book Magazine. //March/April 1998.// Retrieved from [] Smith, L. (2000). Interview by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. New York, NY: Penguin Publishers. Retrieved from [] Smith, L. (2005). Interview by Reading Rockets.org [Video recording]. Greater Washington Telecommunications Association Inc. Retrieved from [|http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-472668362258986419#]. Smith, L. (2009, April 9). Interview by Rock Stars of Reading [Video recording]. Just One More Book! archives. Retrieved from []  Images were taken from the actual book, //The True Story of the Three Little Pigs// and are copyright of Mr. Lane Smith.