The Three Billy Goats Gruff

PreS-Gr 2—Employing his signature pencil and watercolor compositions, Pinkney brings a thoughtful, nuanced perspective to this classic tale. The story begins as expected, with the goats "trip-trapping" across the bridge in search of food—the first two urging the troll to wait for the bigger animal coming next. Each goat has a distinctive appearance; the troll is fierce, with green skin, horns, and exceptionally large teeth. The halcyon, rainbow-studded river valley is surrounded with rocks on one side and lush vegetation on the other. While the story retains familiar cadences, subtle decisions about language and behavior elevate the telling, ensuring multiple readings. As the drama progresses, the design changes, incorporating ever-stronger personalities until a gatefold opening accommodates the standoff between the largest goat and the troll. Hand-lettered sound effects enhance the text's dynamic potential. An artist's note mentions that Pinkney was "confounded by the ending of the original tale, in which the troll disappears or turns to stone... It seemed he never had a chance to learn his lesson." Here, after the troll is catapulted into the water, he faces a monster fish who gives him a taste of his own medicine. A visual epilogue on the endpapers allows readers to form their own conclusions about the encounter's impact on all involved.

In an artist's note, Caldecott Medalist Pinkney (The Lion & the Mouse) says that he held back from retelling this famous folktale over the years because the traditional ending "confounded" him. This version and its new conclusion are worth the wait. Three skinny goats see a bridge between them and hills of lush grass. The hairy, green-skinned troll who guards the bridge has warthog tusks and long claws. The smallest goat approaches, the troll threatens, and the goat parries: "Oh, no, don't eat me!... Wait until the next billy goat crosses. He's much bigger than me!" Pinkney lingers over the goats' clunky, curvy hooves and their skeptical expressions. Hand-lettered sound words such as the story's familiar "trip, trap, trip, trap" amp up the visual energy; the troll's hands claw through the panel borders. A magnificent gatefold captures the moment that the oldest, biggest billy goat smashes through the bridge gate. The troll is tossed into the water ("Bam! Splash! Gulp!"), where he gets a dose of his own medicine as an even-larger creature threatens him. It's an ending so natural that readers may not realize it's a new addition, and it creates a neat pivot that turns a story of revenge and comeuppance into one that dwells instead on empathy. Pinkney is generous with his gifts; his paintings are splendid, nuanced, and unfailingly entertaining. Ages 4-8. Agent: Sheldon Fogelman, Sheldon Fogelman Agency. (May)

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