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The Children's Bookshelf: The Three Billy Goats Gruff - February 19, 2023

The Three Billy Goats Gruff retold by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen is a delightful piece of storytelling both in word and picture. It is handed down from that storytelling birthplace called the oral tradition. Mac Barnett’s and Jon Klassen’s clever details can be seen as early as on the front cover of the book where a very hungry troll prepares for his first dinner with a ready fork and a spoon in hand!

When the first Billy goat tries to pass over the bridge, the troll speaks in rhyme. “Who seeks to reach the grassy ridge? Who dares to walk across my bridge?” When the troll realizes that it is a goat that wants to cross the bridge he goes on to say a well-known poetic reference----“I love goat! Let me count the ways.”

The first two goats get across the bridge by telling the greedy troll that the next goat coming is bigger and will provide a better lunch for him. This strategy works well for the goats but not so well for the troll as he and the reader finally find out just how big and tall the third goat is. In fact, neither the troll nor the reader can see the goat’s face as the huge goat looms over the scene, off the page and right out of the illustration!

The collaboration between the teller and the illustrator is terrific. Ink, watercolor and graphite are pulled together digitally by the illustrator.

Together they put forth the image of a nasty troll who finally gets what’s coming to him. The troll must face three immediate situations: a BIG waterfall, a HUGE waterfall, and an ENORMOUS waterfall!

The Three Billy Goats Gruff retold by Mac Barnett and illustrated with fun and great aplomb by Jon Klassen will be enjoyed by readers 4-8 years of age, older siblings and moms and dads, too (Orchard Books/ an imprint of Scholastic Incorporated) 2022.

The Children’s Bookshelf is a production of WCMU. Links to the podcast and the Activity Questions can be found at Children’s Bookshelf dot org.

Activity Questions for The Three Billy Goats Gruff

For younger children: Look at the pictures of the troll? Is he funny looking or is he scary looking to you? Why? If you were to draw a picture of a troll, what would it look like? Think about it. After gathering paper, pencils and crayons make a drawing of your very own troll.

For older children: What does the very last line of this story say? Is it a warning? What could be hiding beneath the bridge this time? What do you think could happen if you tried to cross the bridge? What do you think could happen if a robot was hiding under the bridge? Think about it. Use your imagination and write another possible ending for this fairytale. Have fun!

Sue Ann Martin is professor emerita of Communication and Dramatic Arts and the founding and past Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. She first became interested in children’s literature when she wrote her PhD thesis on the oral characteristics of the Caldecott Award-winning children’s books. Her PhD is in Speech and Interpretation with a cognate in Early Childhood Education. She went on to review children’s books for the Detroit Free Press, write three popular resource books for teachers regarding children’s books and the creative process. She also reviewed newly-published books for Arts Almanac specials on WCMU Public Radio. Her 2002 children’s books special for WCMU won a Merit Award in Special Interest Programming from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.