The Three Little Dassies By Jan Brett: Summary

The 3 Little Dassies was written and illustrated by Jan Brett. Brett takes a spin on the classic children's tale, The Three Little Pigs. Mimbi, Pimbi, and Timbi decide it is time to go out on their own. So they venture into the Namibia Desert to find a cool and safe place to live from the their predator, the eagle. They each build their own home at the base of a mountain, even though, Agama Man, a desert lizard, tells them an eagle lives at the top. Of course, one house is made of grass, one house is made of driftwood, and the last house is made of stone. When the eagle is on a scouting mission for food, he spies the dassies. He claps, and he flaps, and he manages to capture the first two dassies. The eagle tries the third house, but cannot move it. While the eagle is flapping his wings and kicking up dust, Timbi saves her sisters. With a last ditch effort, the eagle flies down the chimney, only to fly back out, smoky and singed, never to bother the dassies again.

She not only illustrates the main story, but illustrates a second story along the borders of the pages. She is, also, an illustrator that does her homework. She travels all over the world to study the art and culture of a country, which is reflective in her illustrations. For example, The 3 Little Dassies, is about Dassies, a rodent from South Africa. She traveled to study the traditions and culture of South Africa. The colorful patterns of the Dassies dress reflect South African garb as well as the border art illustrates designs and patterns of those in the Namibia Desert. She fills the story pages with great details so that you as a reader will know, “that such places exist”-Jan