Parents' Guide to The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Book Mac Barnett Picture Book 2022
cover of The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Common Sense Media Review

Regan McMahon By Regan McMahon , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 4+

Great art and fun foodie details add to familiar folktale.

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age 4+

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What's the Story?

This version of THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF covers the traditional storyline -- the sibling goats tricking the troll who lives under the bridge to avoid getting eaten by him and his being butted by the biggest goat brother and falling into a waterfall -- and adds an amusing rundown of the many ways the troll likes to eat goat.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

This fresh, stylized version of the classic folktale adds sly humor and great art to tell the familiar story. Here, the troll looks like a big rat, and he's a bit menacing with his fork and spoon at the ready, but not too scary. His lines of dialogue rhyme -- "Who seeks to reach the grassy ridge? Who dares to walk across my bridge?" But the rest of the text does not. The silliest innovation -- and the most fun for adults reading The Three Billy Goats Gruff aloud -- is the goat listing his favorite goat dishes, as in this passage:

"I love goat! Let me count the ways!/
Goat Benedict with hollandaise./
Goat jerky, jerk goat, curried goat./
Goat gravy in a silver boat./
A goat flambé with candied yams./
A goat clambake, with goat, not clams!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes this version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff fresh. How is it different from other versions you've read? How is it the same?

  • How are the goats able to escape being eaten by the troll? What did they know about the troll that helped them fool him?

Book Details

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cover of The Three Billy Goats Gruff

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