The Three Billy Goats' Stuff!

by Bob Hartman, Jacqueline East (Illustrator)

Overview

Once again, Bob Hartman gives his inimitable treatment to a retelling of the popular traditional tale of the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. This time the Troll can be found under the climbing frame in the school playground of the Traditional Academy for Small Furry Animals and the Odd Mythical Creature. Children are sure to know a similar bullying character in their own school and will be delighted to see the Troll get his come-uppance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745967783
Publisher:	Lion Children's Bks
Publication date:	11/14/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Bob Hartman is a professional storyteller and award-winning children’s author of over seventy books. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but now lives in Wiltshire. He has been entertaining audiences on both sides of the Atlantic for over 30years with his books and performances, which bring together retellings of Bible stories and traditional tales from around the world with his own imaginative stories. His books are full of humour and insight, whilst his storytelling sessions are exciting, engaging, dynamic – and above all, interactive! The Lion Storyteller Bible is used in schools across the United Kingdom as part of a Bible project called Open the Book, and is regularly performed for over 800,000 children in more than 3,000 primary schools. He is well known for his hugely popular The Lion Storyteller collection, the Telling the Bible series, and the highly acclaimed picture books: The Wolf Who Cried Boy, Dinner in the Lions’ Den and The Three Billy Goats’ Stuff.

 

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2—This unique retelling of the classic story is intended to be a cautionary tale about bullying, but it falls somewhat flat. Troll hides under the jungle gym and intimidates his classmates into emptying their pockets. This pattern continues until he meets the goats, and various family members refuse to give up their stuff. Ultimately, he is taken to the head teacher's office and later returns all of the stolen treasures, but there is no reconciliation with the other students, and transferring Troll to another school is not the best solution. Readers do not have to consider the consequences for Troll or his relationship with others. A CD with two readings of the story (one includes page-turns and the other "to enjoy with or without the book") is included. Lavish use of white space, clever illustrations, and an unusual typeface create an attractive package, but this is not an essential purchase.—Michele Sealander, Hamburg School, NJ

School Library Journal

Troll loves to hide under the playground equipment at The Traditional Academy for Small Furry Animals and the Odd Mythical Creature and jump out at his fellow students to shake them down: "[R]each in your pocket / And give me your stuff!" He thinks the skinny new kid is going to be an easy mark, but the little goat puts him off; his older brother has a bigger briefcase, of course. And so it goes, until the biggest brother gives Troll a delicious comeuppance. East's watercolors depict a big green bully with tusky underbite against a generic schoolyard background. The fun's in the text, which will make for a good fractured-fairy-tale read-aloud in many an elementary classroom. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

"A hilarious take on the traditional Three Billy Goats Gruff... a great story with loads of potential for exploring alternative plots as well as issues surrounding bullying. Most of all, this topsy-turvy tale is ideal for reading aloud and getting into the spirit of a good old storytime."

Childhood Education