Little Red Riding Hood

PreS-Gr 2-A fresh retelling of the classic tale. This title retains the basic plot elements of the original while incorporating humorous adaptations. The illustrations are bright, colorful, and lighthearted, adding contemporary flair with current fashion. Little Red Riding Hood ditches the cape in favor of a red hoodie and fun green rain boots, while the Big Bad Wolf sports trendy plaid pants. This gentler version may be easier on younger children, as no harm comes to Grandma (who's been eaten alive in prior versions). The woodcutter and his axe have been replaced with a positive message of female empowerment. Little Red Riding Hood doesn't need to be saved but is able to defeat the wolf using her own intelligence and ingenuity. As part of the series, this book complements Nosy Crow's interactive Little Red Riding Hood app. The app tie-in may inspire extra interest from children. Otherwise, this stand-alone text may be an optional purchase for library collections that already include numerous versions of the story. VERDICT While some readers may miss the spooky suspense of the original, this Little Red Riding Hood provides a fun and spunky introduction to the tale. A delightful addition.-Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State University, OH © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In these sprightly retellings (including some of the old-fashioned phrasings), bright digital illustrations contain humorous modern-day touches (such as Little Red's hoodie and rain boots and Jack's mother's fancy boots at book's end). Little Red resourcefully bests the wolf with weapons gathered in the forest (daisies make him sneeze, etc.); Jack's story is more traditional, but a dragon and a frog prince make appearances. [Review covers these titles: Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood.] (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.