The Book of Three

Alexander, L. (1964).  The book of three. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Book Summary

The Book of Three is the first of Lloyd Alexander’s fantasy series. The main character is Taran, an Assistant Pig-Keeper.  Taran, however, is not a happy pig-keeper; he would rather be a great hero, like his own personal hero, the High Prince Gwydion.  But he is watching a very important pig. Hen Wen is an oracle pig. So when Hen Wen takes off one day into the forest, Taran has to head right after her. This begins a long stretch of bad luck for Taran. Although he does get to meet his hero, Gwydion, he can’t seem to catch up to Hen Wen and manages to get thrown into a dungeon, caught by fairies, and pursued by a large bird of prey. Taran survives all this and eventually is able to return home with Hen Wen. When he reaches home, he realizes that home is quite a bit more appealing after such a wild adventure.

Impressions

This book still definitely holds its own. When fantasy readers come in after finishing The Ranger’s Apprentice series, I hand them this book. Lloyd Alexander’s book is compelling, humorous, and develops a detailed fantasy world.  The conversations between Taran and his fellow companions are witty and entertaining. The relationships between the odd group of travelers, especially with a dwarf and a king turned bard and a sassy young girl, makes the journey a memorable one.  This is a great book for elementary school readers with an interest in fantasy or even just an epic journey.

Professional Review

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Library uses

This book would be good to use in a book club for fourth or fifth graders. There’s a good discussion about what it means to find happiness with your life. Taran wanted a hero’s life and found a slew of bad luck and struggles. While he came out of it alright, he soon learned to appreciate his good life and friends back home.