"Dedication and practice pay off," is the message these three pigs painlessly deliver. "Once upon a dangerous time," a wolf plagued a town with his huffing and puffing, so three pigs--two hogs and a sow--attend Ninja School to learn how to face him. Each studies a different martial art, but the two brothers quickly lose interest; the third pig alone earns all her belts. So when the wolf comes calling, it's no surprise when the brothers' skills are not equal to the task. "The chase carried on to their sister's. / Pig Three was outside in her gi. / I'm a certified weapon, / so watch where you're steppin'. / You don't want to start up with me!' " A demonstration of her prowess is enough to send the wolf packing and the brothers back to their training. Schwartz's sophomore outing is a standout among fractured fairy tales, masterfully combining rollicking limerick verse with a solid story, neither a slave to the other. The one quibble is the "Ninja" of the title--these pigs study the martial arts of aikido, jujitsu and karate. Santat's illustrations are done with Sumi brush on rice paper and finished in Photoshop. The colors, patterns and themes nicely incorporate those of Japanese art, and the setting, with its background mountains, cherry blossoms and traditional rooftops, is firmly Japanese. Have the contact info for the local dojo handy--readers will want to try out these martial-arts styles for themselves. (glossary) (Fractured fairy tale. 5-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

For young martial arts fans seeking a lighthearted book about their hobby, Schwartz's (Hop! Plop!) story should fit the bill. While the idea of three gi-clad pigs fighting the big bad wolf is a winner, the subtle-as-a-karate-chop moral about not quitting puts a bit of a damper on the fun. Pig One signs up for aikido ("He gained some new skills,/ but got bored with the drills"), while Pig Two goes for jujitsu ("The teacher said, `Excellent progress./ But Pig-san, you must study more.'/ Pig Two said, `No way./ Sayonara, Sensei!/ I'm ready to settle a score' "). Both lack the necessary chops when the wolf comes a'blowing. Santat's dynamic, comic book-style spreads have a Crouching Wolf, Hidden Pig feel, especially when Pig Three (a persistent girl who has actually honed her skills) terrifies the wolf with a chop that smashes a pile of bricks. Schwartz's irreverent verse never falters-and any book that rhymes "dojo" with "mojo" is one that's worth a look. Ages 5-8. Agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary. Illustrator's agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

This riotous rumble of a takeoff begins with three pigs two brothers and a sister saying enough to the huffy puffy wolf destroying houses in their town. So it's off to the ninja school, where the first brother takes up aikido, but he drops out in two weeks. The second brother takes jujitsu and makes good progress, but he is too impatient to keep up his lessons. Only sister pig, a karate student, becomes so skilled that she can break boards by performing a perfect pork chop! Anyone who knows the original story will be well aware of what comes next, but this standout version has so much motion, action, and laughs, kids will feel like they're hearing it for the first time. Schwartz's clever rhyming text flows nicely, and illustrator Santat (who holds a black belt in shotokan) really gets into things. Executed in Sumi brushwork on rice paper (and completed in Adobe Photoshop), the pictures have a three-dimensional feel that's great when kicks and chops are being executed. Sayonara, Mr. Wolf.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist

K-Gr 3-These porcine powerhouses are ready to rumble! With their arsenal of martial-arts skills, the Big Bad Wolf doesn't stand a chance. Except-whoops! Pigs One and Two skipped a few lessons. Rhyming text and dynamic illustrations are a delight, and the glossary of Japanese words invites culture study tie-ins. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.