On the one hand, this is a book for pleasure. It’s full of apple pies, sweet cinnamon pears, mushroom soups and all that tasty stuff… maybe, there are even too many carbs in this book, you know!
On the other hand, this is a book for learning. It covers planning and controlling, explains how to resolve the conflicts and what types of people there are (excuse me, not “people”, of course – Piglets, Ferrets and Hedgehogs).
This is a book for children, but like any good children’s book, it is for adults.
For adults who are undertaking home renovation, for adults who are planning to start their own business, for adults who are raising a child. The book leaves us the important messages like “when you build a house for others, don’t forget to ask them about what they want.” Or gives us crafty ideas like making the “worry book” for managing the risks.
It reminds that people who at first glance seem to be useless, can happen to be very important one day, because different people bring different benefits to the great ideas.
It gives the example of how you can empower yourself when you have no strength to move on.
It teaches to act properly, being mistaken: realize, apologize and make better.
In short, this is a book for children whom their parents want to become the successful grown-ups. Successful at work and in human relationship. Also, this book is good for adults who want to grow up a little themselves.
⠀
Anastasia Rubtsova,
the psychotherapist
and the mom.
Hey, sis! I’m writing you from a faraway land.
As you know I was destined for a cruel death because of this treacherous plan of the three villains. I fell into a cunningly set-up cauldron of boiling water.
However, I escaped! I left my home forest. But these three are sleeping peacefully in their little beds, baking pies, drinking cocoa, and I… My life is anxious and difficult.
Dear sis, they should pay for what they’ve done to me! I was so close to my goal.
You have always been the most trickish, smartest of us, and now it is you I ask to destroy the last, third house.
Best friendly regards,
Your unhappy brother.
Sender’s address: La Boca,
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Chapter 1.
The Adventure Begins
Tea with apricot jam. – New dream. – Who is to roll in yellow leaves? – The medal above the bed. – End of the piggy bank.
“It’s good we got rid of Wolf, though!” Major said and turned the firewood in the fireplace. It was warm during the day in early September, but the evenings were getting colder.
“That’s right,” Middle said, stirring apricot jam into his tea.
The tea made of some forest currant and sage leaves was good itself, but the jam made it especially fragrant.
Junior thought the same, and twirled his tail as a sign of agreeing with his brothers. But he had a thought, which he dared to say for the first time:
“What are we going to do now?”
“Drink tea,” Middle said. “And bake pies. Tomorrow we’ll make rolls…”
There were a lot of apricots this year, and Middle was concerned about their proper use. He thought it was right to use everything wisely. He was very organized and had some big plans: cakes, jams, pastille, apricot marshmallows…
“No,” Junior said. “What are we going to do in general? What is our plan? We’ve run away from Wolf. We’ve protected the small house. We have fun, we go for walks… We have collected herbarium. But… I want my own room!”
The big brothers’ snouts widened in surprise.
“Should we build another small house?” Junior asked. “Or even two. Or not a small house, but a big one? There are many animals in the forest. Wolf might come back. And anyway, it’s not about Wolf… It’s about adventure!”
The big brothers’ snouts stretched forward.
“I was thinking,” Junior continued. “Why do we live in such an… ordinary house? Here is only one room and it’s not very pretty… Why don’t we build a new house? With a library, a music studio and a winter garden?”
The big brothers’ snouts stretched forward so much that they looked like the trunks of little pink elephants. Major was the first to cope with the surprise and, with a loud sneeze, pulled his snout back in.
“Actually, that kind of makes sense,” he said thoughtfully, addressing no one. Ever since the piglets started living without their parents, Major felt responsible for his brothers. “If we build a nice new house for the animals, we will do the right thing and earn lots of coins.”
“Why?” Middle asked cautiously. Sometimes he thought that the older and younger brother understood each other much better, despite the age difference.
“To do another right thing later!” Junior cheerfully replied. ‘We’ll build a house, earn some coins, use those coins to build more houses, then a pastry-shop. There will be a whole city! Come on,” Junior tugged at the middle piglet’s tail. “It’ll be so interesting!”
“Interesting?!” the piglet was outraged. “How exactly are we going to do that?… We have to draw a blueprint. Then dig a big hole, make a foundation. Build the walls… and the roof. Plaster, paint, flooring. And everything else you’ve just mentioned… a winter garden! It’s not a simple house like ours. And this one, I’m sorry to say, we only built it on the third attempt.”