Traditional Literature Review: The Three Little Gators by Helen Ketteman Ill. by Will Terry
The Three Little Gators by Helen Ketteman Illustrated by Will Terry
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 2009. THE THREE LITTLE GATORS. Ill. by Will Terry. Park Ridge, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN 9780807578247
2. PLOT SUMMARY
When Mama Gator tells her three little gators it’s time for them to live on their own, she reminds them to make sure they build strong, sturdy houses and warns them of the big bottomed boar that loves to eat little gators. Agreeing, the three little gators run off to find supplies to build their houses with. The first gator decides that rocks would build a sturdy house, but the other two gators would prefer a material that is easier to build with, so they set off to find building materials of their own, leaving their sibling behind to build his rock house. The next little gator thinks sticks would be easy to use to build his house, but the third little gator still thinks he can find something easier to build with. When the last little gator happens upon some sand, he lazily slaps together a house in hopes that the big bottomed boar won’t notice that it is a house at all. The little gator’s houses come crashing down when the big bottomed boar uses his bottom to squash both the sand house and the stick house. When all three little gators have found refuge in their brother’s rock house, they must act quickly to keep the big bottomed boar from squashing the last house.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
THE THREE LITTLE GATORS gives “The Three Little Pigs” an East-Texas twist. Mama Gator has a southern dialect (“It’s time you young’uns set out on your own”) that instantly transports readers into the swamp. The alliteration and rhyme used in the story captures the sounds of spoken language in print. The warm, bold colors used in the illustrations bring the heat of Texas swamps onto the pages. The subtle hints of East Texas culture are shown in the details of the illustrations (straw hats, barbecue sauce). The appropriately named Big Bottomed Boar provides endless opportunities for humor that will surely have children roaring.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “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”
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 2009. THE THREE LITTLE GATORS. Ill. by Will Terry. Park Ridge, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company. ISBN 9780807578247
2. PLOT SUMMARY
When Mama Gator tells her three little gators it’s time for them to live on their own, she reminds them to make sure they build strong, sturdy houses and warns them of the big bottomed boar that loves to eat little gators. Agreeing, the three little gators run off to find supplies to build their houses with. The first gator decides that rocks would build a sturdy house, but the other two gators would prefer a material that is easier to build with, so they set off to find building materials of their own, leaving their sibling behind to build his rock house. The next little gator thinks sticks would be easy to use to build his house, but the third little gator still thinks he can find something easier to build with. When the last little gator happens upon some sand, he lazily slaps together a house in hopes that the big bottomed boar won’t notice that it is a house at all. The little gator’s houses come crashing down when the big bottomed boar uses his bottom to squash both the sand house and the stick house. When all three little gators have found refuge in their brother’s rock house, they must act quickly to keep the big bottomed boar from squashing the last house.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
THE THREE LITTLE GATORS gives “The Three Little Pigs” an East-Texas twist. Mama Gator has a southern dialect (“It’s time you young’uns set out on your own”) that instantly transports readers into the swamp. The alliteration and rhyme used in the story captures the sounds of spoken language in print. The warm, bold colors used in the illustrations bring the heat of Texas swamps onto the pages. The subtle hints of East Texas culture are shown in the details of the illustrations (straw hats, barbecue sauce). The appropriately named Big Bottomed Boar provides endless opportunities for humor that will surely have children roaring.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “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: “Ketteman’s retelling, including a sassy Texas twang, makes the story hilarious and bright…readers will be chiming in on cue…The colors are vibrant yet ominous and swampy…A fun choice for libraries and classrooms.”
BOOKLIST ONLINE: “Loaded with plenty of outlandish action from the bug-eyed, cartoonish characters rendered in glimmering colors, this would make a rip-roaring group readaloud.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Other books featuring alligators as characters:
- GATOR DAD
Lies, Brian. 2016. GATOR DAD. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780544534339 - IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING AN ALLIGATOR TO SCHOOL, DON’T!
Parsley, Elise. 2015. IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING AN ALLIGATOR TO SCHOOL, DON’T!. Little Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780316376570
Hopgood, Sally. 2016. SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR. Ill. by Emma Levey. Sky Pony Press. ISBN 978-1510704848
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