The Three Little Tamales

Bibliography

Kimmel, Eric A. 2009.  The Three Little Tamales. Ill. By Valeria Docampo. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Children. ISBN 9780761455196

Plot Summary

This is a retelling of The Three Little Pigs. This variation transports the story to a Southwestern setting, where the three tamales run away from a taqueria to avoid being eaten. As the original story goes, the tamales build their own homes to stay safe from Senor Lobo that will come to blow their homes away. In the end, the story closes with a fiesta humorously to tie in the culture.

Critical Analysis

Eric Kimmel retells the folktale with both humor and cultural flair. His writing is very playful and rhythmic. He includes Spanish words and Southwestern imagery to give the story a distinct regional voice to support the cultural themes of the book. 

Valeria Docampo’s illustrations are bold and whimsical, full of vibrant colors and textures that bring out the festiveness of the Mexican Culture. Details like the sombreros, desert landscapes, and fiesta scenes really tie the story together for the readers to connect to the cultural background. 

Review Excerpts

Starred Review from the School Library Journal: “Kimmel’s humorous retelling sparkles with Southwestern, and Docampo’s bright, stylized illustrations add to the fun. A delightful addition to folktale collections.” 

Connections

This story works really well alongside other folktale variants, like his Kimmel’s The Three Cabritos or The Runaway Tortilla. Teachers can use it to compare and contrast with the Traditional The Three Little Pigs story, sparkling discussions about how cultural settings shape familiar tales. Students could also create a food-inspired folktale characters or retell a classic story using elements from their own culture. 


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