I chose The Threee Billy Goats Gruff by Stephen Carpenter because it was my Mom's favorite story book growing up. The day I brought it home she sat down and read it to me and my sister. My favorite characters are the three billy goats because there funny and can play tricks on the troll. The troll was foolish to let the small and middle size billy goats go across the bridge, and then have to fight with the big billy goat. He ended up falling off the bridge and all three billy goats enjoyed the grass on the other side of the bridge. Now they will be able to come and go whenever they want. There is a lesson to be learned in this book. Don't let someone influence you by saying that something is bigger and better if you wait for awhile. Overall the book is alot of fun to read. I would definitely share this story with my children.

Many of the reviews listed here are for other versions of this story. I have checked out all seven versions of Three Billy Goats Grufff available from our library just to see which was best for a three year old. This one by Stephen Carpenter has large, clever, uncluttered pictures and tells the story in simple language. The troll is not too scary and, all in all, this one seems just right for little ones. Another version, the elaborately illustrated one by Janet Stevens, uses a colorful, imaginative vocabulary and would have more appeal to adults and older children (5 or 6 and up?).

This book has brought great joy to my daughters life. She is 2 1/2 years old and she just loves this story. I highly recomend this book to any parent who enjoys seeing their children envolved with a book.

I first read to my boys the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff which is just the way I remember it from when I was a child. I then flipped the book over and read to them the troll's point of view. What a cute and funny story. We all love this book. We will definitely buy other books like this one written with other classic stories telling both points of view.

I first received a copy of this book at the International Reading Association's 1996 conference when I was acting as a staff development assistant and enrichment teacher at an elementary school. It is hilarious. First, you read the traditional The Three Billy Goats Gruff to the kids and then you read the Just a Friendly Old Troll story which is told from the point of view of the troll. It is really funny. The troll says he was just misunderstood-he didn't mean he was going to eat the baby goat when he said," I'd like to have you for dinner?" but that he was inviting him to dinner trying to make friends and that when baby goat and medium goat each said wait for my bigger brother knowing that eventually big billy goat gruff would come to defend them that he thought they meant they didn't want to come to dinner without their brother.

I am a school librarian and I thought these "other point of view" stories were wonderful (not just the 3 Billy Goats). It gives you a chance to alert kids to the fact that sometimes you need to hear another point of view before you make judgments. It's too bad the Horn book reviewer didn't like it.

I'll add to the commentary above -- an excellent book from the rural and innocent beginnings of the 20th Century....

Billy Whiskers, a goat, is always getting into trouble -- and in this way is endearing to children who feel that they too are always in trouble. But Billy perseveres and stubbornly holds his ground.

This is a very amusing book, lots of fun for children and the adults who might read it to them. However, your "age level" is incorrect. You state that the age level is 4-8. A 4-year old could not possibly read this book, and neither could any but a very bright eight-year old. This would be a good book to read to an early elementary child, but not for a child to solo read until third or fourth grade. There are a lot of old-fashioned words and phrases.

The Book "The Truth about Three Billy Goats Gruff" by Steven Otfinoski and illustrated by Rowen Barnes-Murphy is a great book for Children. The book is another version of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" butit is told by the troll, Tobias T. Troll, and not the goats. In this version though, the troll tells how he was treated unfairly, and that the goats lied to him and said they would pay him to get over his bridge. The troll Says that he let the two brother goats go by and hoped that their last brother would pay for them, but when the troll and the oldest brother goat start to fight, a farmer comes and blames everything on the troll. The farmer almost hits the troll, so he has no option but to jump. I think that kids will like this story, because it will keep them laughing. I think it also teaches them that its not a good thing to lie.

All my favorite stories from the early 1940's are captured here: "Three billy goats" presented in 3 pages can easily be memorized, told to children and grandchildren who will pass it on ... "Chicken Little" is here, as is the "Three Bears", "The Teeny, tiny Lady" and many more. Mostly from unknown sources, Bailey captured the best of the best in these 92 pages at a price everyone can afford. Twenty-two stories that delighted children in yesteryear, continue to do the same. Not to be omitted is the fact that Carolyn Sherwin Bailey was a prolific writer herself with the skill of editing with inflection and choice of words for the delight of the storyteller and reader.

I teach Spanish in kindergarten and this book is super! The children are familiar with the Three Billy Goats Gruff and listen with bated breath for the fate of "Los chivitos". The book is short enough to keep their attention and the illustrations are colorful. My students always smile brightly at the end and say, "That was good!"

My 3 year old son loves the wonderfully expressive illustrations and fun storyline of this book. The drawings have a sense of depth and detail that make the fatherhood job reading the same story over and over to your child each night a pleasure rather than chore. I can only say this about a very few books in my sons collection including several of the Dr. Seuss and Where the Wild Things Are, good company indeed.

Highly Recommended.

Mark Stanleigh has written a wonderful novel, THE KING OF BILLY GOAT HILL, a story of growing up in Los Angeles. However, this poignant recounting of childhood challenges and adventure could take place in any city that has children, police, hills, gangs and siblings. Stanleigh has created a novel full of tension and dark places. The characters are packed with color and action. As you read, even in the early pages, it is easy to sense the ominous and sad overtones which certainly influence and surround the narrator. This is Wade, the older brother, only eight years old as the story opens with his poignant recollections. His younger brother, Luke, looks up to him, cries when Wade cries, follows and loves him. Wade and Luke, lacking a functional family in their lives depend not only on each other and their dog, Mac, but also on two fascinating people who are part of the local police force. A third police officer plays a role as well, but in a manner that will be a surprise as Wade reveals his story. This very young narrator needs to come to terms with a dreadful truth. He lives with the certainty that he is a ten year old murderer. This fear and dreadful belief colors the rest of his life and THE KING OF BILLY GOAT HILL chronicles his methods, activities, and strengths to cope with it. As a secondary theme, you baseball lovers will appreciate Wade's total devotion to and joy derived from Duke Snider, the famous Dodger baseball player. He is like a rainbow that brings a smile to Wade's face and peaceful dreams to his soul. In Stanleigh's clear and descriptive style, you'll find humor, tension, love and terror. THE KING OF BILLY GOAT HILL covers a life of a man upon whose childhood terror has made an indelible imprint. The closeness of the two brothers is warm, their lives become meaningful and creative, and trust and love do seem to win out!

I received this book as a surprise Christmas present from an old childhood friend. It turned out to be the best gift of the season. "The story embodies the essence of our own childhoods," my friend wrote. "If Wade and Luke don't transport you back to our humble beginnings, you've either lost your imagination, or we never knew each other!" Was she ever right. I could have been The "Queen" of Billy Goat Hill. This is a wonderful novel about life and how to survive it. One of the best, most satisfying, special reads of all time. I will always recommend this book and hope it stays in print forever.

I took a chance and ordered this novel after reading the previous reviews. I was not disappointed. If you love a story and characters that leave you resonating long after the initial read, get The King of Billy Goat Hill. I've read six more novels since and still I keep thinking about Wade, Luke and Mac. I agree wholeheartedly with the earlier reviews, and, yes, this book would make a terrific movie!

I grew up with this story - what happened?! Somewhere in this grossly underproduced version they forgot that even in a kids story you need talented actors. Kids know when someone sounds wooden and unskilled - and you can't pawn something as poorly done as this off on them. They're smarter than that! I could've done a better job in my garage. "Under the bridge lived a troll..." Come on!

My boys love this author's version of the Three Little Pigs, so I bought a few more of his fairy tales for them. They also liked this one, but not as much. That might just be because it's not quite as interesting a tale! But the illustrations are well done---especially the troll, who is truly scary looking! This is a good book for a reader who likes to do voices, as you really have to use dramatic effect to show how the biggest billy goat has a loud and intimidating voice while the little one has a tiny and timid voice!

We have checked out a number of versions of The Three Billy Goats Gruff from the Library when my son was 4. This is the version he liked the most. It is very simple (as one reviewer uses as a reason to reject it) but for some ages, that simplicity is what makes it a favorite.