Three little fish set out to make homes of their own, but a seaweed house and a sandcastle are no match for the big bad shark. The third choice--a sunken ship--is impossible to crunch through and renders the predator toothless. This undersea take on the Three Little Pigs is overly busy but features vivid cartoon illustrations.

This aquatic update on the classic pig story is sure to enthrall readers young and old. When Jim, Tim and Kim set out to make their own homes in the sea, each builds with a different material. Jim's seaweed house quickly succumbs to the jaws of the Big Bad Shark, as does the sand house of his brother, Tim. Both narrowly escape to the safety of their sister Kim's house—a sunken ship. A surprise ending will delight those cheering on the piscine trio. Geist's text is close enough to the original to be familiar, yet original enough to be enjoyable, especially when it comes to the beloved refrains: "Not by the skin of my finny fin fin." Gorton's digital illustrations are bright blocks of color and shape, and the facial expressions lend much to the tale. Great for educators teaching comparisons, and for ocean lovers. (Picture book. 3-8)

Adding to the growing genre of reinvented fairytales comes a playful take on the old favorite, """"The Three Little Pigs."""" In this version, the pigs are replaced by three fish and the wolf's role is assumed by a toothy shark. Geist stays true to the plot of the original text but makes this story his own with the addition of clever rhymes (""""Not by the skin of my finny fin fin"""") and inventive puns (""""We fish stick together""""). Gorton's (The Bouncing, Dancing, Galloping ABC) digitally rendered underwater world is jam-packed with sea life in vivid blues and greens and creates a dynamic setting that bustles with activity and movement. Readers will find it difficult to ignore the larger-than-life shark whose massive choppers are arguably more threatening than the wolf's. But the timid will find relief in the satisfying ending in which the once-scary shark gets his just desserts (in the form of a necessarily vegetarian diet). This brief, enjoyable read proves a fun adaptation that a new generation will likely savor. Ages 4-8.

PreS-Gr 1-The tale of "The Three Little Pigs" gets an underwater makeover in this snappy yarn. Three little fish swim out into the deep blue sea to build their homes. Jim builds a "weedy little house," Tim builds a "sandy little house," and Kim takes up residence in a sunken ship. It isn't long before the big bad shark shows up at each successive residence, calling "Little fish, little fish, let me come in!" Children will quickly join in the answering refrain, "Not by the skin of my finny fin fin!" Gorton's whimsical, computer-drawn scenery and electric color palette set just the right tone for Geist's tongue-in-cheek retelling. The bold font is humorously integrated with the art, appearing inside the shark's mouth for emphasis, or swirling along the current with an escaping fish. This spunky tale is a welcome addition to storytime and picture-book collections.-Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.