Additional information
by Sheila Hebert-Collins (Author)
Near Big Mamou in Southwest Louisiana, Mamère Cochon must send her three little pigs, 'Ti Joe, 'Ti Claude, and 'Ti Frère, out into the great big world to seek their
fortunes. As they prepare to go their separate ways, the brothers agree to watch out for the loup-garou, who's been planning a cochon du lait for as long as they can remember.
How would the brothers make out on their own? Well, as 'Ti Joe always says, "Vouloir c'est pouvoir" (where there's a will, there's a way). But will they be able to avoid the hungry loup-garou? Well, if any three pigs ever had le savoir-faire (the know-how) to outwit the wily wolf, their names would have to be 'Ti Joe, 'Ti Claude, and 'Ti Frère, I garontee!
As a little lagniappe (something extra), the author has included 'Ti Joe's special recipe for Grillades and Grits, the classic breakfast dish. Bon appétit!
Front Jacket
"Children will howl with laughter as les trois cochons (three little pigs) outwit the wily loup-garou (wolf) in this Cajun twist to the classic tale." --LACajunStuff.com
"This version of the beloved tale offers insight into and involvement with a unique culture . . . Youngsters will come back to this book again and again!" --Sue N. Howard, library media specialist, Locke Elementary School, Memphis, Tennessee, Library Talk
Near Big Mamou in Southwest Louisiana, Mamère Cochon must send her three little pigs, 'Ti Joe, 'Ti Claude, and 'Ti Frère, out into the great big world to seek their fortunes. As they prepare to go their separate ways, the brothers agree to watch out for the loup-garou, who's been planning a cochon du lait for as long as they can remember. Will they be able to avoid the hungry loup-garou? Well, if any three pigs ever had le savoir-faire (the know-how) to outwit the cunning wolf, their names would have to be 'Ti Joe, 'Ti Claude, and 'Ti Frère, I gar-on-tee!
Cajun storyteller Sheila Hébert Collins brings the three little pigs into bayou country in this delightful retelling with a liberal dusting of Cajun French. Louisiana native Patrick Soper's illustrations bring all the lushness of the state's rural areas. As a little lagniappe (something extra), the author includes a special recipe for Grillades and Grits. Bon appétit!
Author Biography
Sheila Hèbert-Collins was born in Abbeville, Louisiana, the heart of Cajun country. She is what you'd call an authentic Cajun, since both her mother's and father's lineage trace back to Acadia in Canada. Hèbert-Collins grew up proud of her Cajun culture, and teaching the lower grades for twenty years instilled in her a love for children's literature. That passion for children's literature, combined with her Cajun pride, motivated her to rewrite cherished fairy tales with a Cajun twist. These stories were designed to teach younger children French, as well as to develop Cajun pride of their own.
Hèbert-Collins didn't start her writing career until she retired from teaching in Louisiana in 1989. In late 1993, her first Cajun fairy tale was published: Jolie Blonde and the Three Hèberts: A Cajun Twist to an Old Tale, which is a Cajun retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. By 1996, she had four books published and had visited over 120 Louisiana schools and many public libraries, reading her Cajun fairy tales and promoting their culture.
Sheila Hèbert-Collins's name appears in the Louisiana State Artist Roster as an author and Cajun storyteller. She has presented for the Louisiana Reading Association's local and state conventions and has also appeared for the Florida Association of Media Educators, Lee County Reading Festival, and Florida Gulf Coast University.
In 1999, Sheila Hèbert-Collins became a school librarian, working on certification at the same time. She was certified in library science in 2000 and was hired as a media specialist at Manatee Elementary in Collier County, Florida, in 2002. During that year, her sixth fairy tale was published. Working in such a diversified school has given her more cultures to learn about and, more than ever, more reasons to promote cultural pride. She currently resides in Abbeville, Louisiana.
