Little Red Riding Hood

by Jerry Pinkney (Author)

Little Red Riding Hood
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

In this inspired rendering of the classic Grimm Brothers folktale, five-time Caldecott Honor winning artist Jerry Pinkney introduced two favorite children's characters to a new generation: the sly, scary wolf and the sweet little girl in her famous red hood.

Readers will squeal with delight all over again during that most memorable scene when Little Red Riding Hood declares, "Oh, Grandmamma, what great teeth you have!"  Pinkney's charming, masterfully-wrought illustrations--as warm and cozy as Little Red's cloak and as captivating as the clever wolf himself--are sure to lure you into the heart of this treasured tale.

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$19.99

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ALA/Booklist

The pictures reflect the danger and the coziness, and they are just right for their preschool audience.

None

Starred Review

A beautiful new rendering.

None

All in all, an attractive take on the familiar folktale, particularly appropriate for groups.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

Snow falls gently on the endpaper panorama just before Red Riding Hood sets off for her grandmother's with a basket of chicken soup and raisin muffins. Although a few other details have been changed, this new rendition of the fairy tale is faithful to the Grimms' original in its denouement and ending, in which a passing woodcutter kills the wolf, cuts open its stomach, and rescues grandmother and child. The double-page watercolor, pencil, ink, and gouache paintings in the artist's distinctive impressionist/realistic style are the draw here. Interestingly, Pinkney has painted a light-skinned black child and Caucasian adults. The mother's lace-edged nightcap, head covering, and shawl; the woodcutter's fur-collared jacket and peasant's cap; and his log-filled wooden sledge pulled by oxen set the story in an earlier era. The beautifully designed and rendered artwork, including snowy woodland scenes, glimpses of Grandma's homey cottage, close-ups of Red Riding Hood, and a very wily wolf make this book a standout."Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Produced in the same generous format as Pinkney's ("The Ugly Duckling") previous retellings of classic tales, this inviting work opens with a view of the heroine's mother posed very much like Whistler's mother, stitching a certain red cloak as a small window shows snow falling. Next she fills a basket with chicken soup and raisin muffins for ailing Grandmother and instructs her daughter, Mind you, little miss]. Be certain to go straight there. As the girl sets out, the full-bleed art, rendered in Pinkney's characteristic style, reveals snowy woodlands in which animals and birds are cleverly camouflaged. The wolf, however, appears front and center. He had a mind to eat her up at once, but the presence of woodcutters nearby deters him, and so he addresses her in his most pleasant voice. The inclusion of various soundsthe crunch, crunch of the child's footsteps in the new snow, the chop, chop of the woodcutters' tools, and so onaugments the book's appeal as a read-aloud. The wolf, although seen repeatedly with its jaws open, sharp teeth bared, mostly cuts a comical figure, poorly disguised in Grandmother's nightgown and cap. The writing and the art are spry and satisfying, and with its blue-eyed African-American heroine, this book will be especially welcomed by families looking for traditional tales that feature a multiracial cast. Ages 3-6. "(Oct.)"

Copyright 2007 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Jerry Pinkney
Jerry Pinkney is one of the most heralded children's book illustrators of all time. He has the rare distinction of being the recipient of five Caldecott Honors and the winner of the 2010 Caldecott medal for The Lion and the Mouse. He has published numerous reimagined classic tales, including The Little Mermaid, The Tortoise & the Hare, The Grasshopper & the Ants, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Little Red Riding Hood, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. He has won the Coretta Scott King Award five times, the Coretta Scott King Honor four times, and has been nominated for the prestigious Hans Christian Anderson Award. He was also the first children's book illustrator elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He lives with his wife, author Gloria Jean Pinkney, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. The artist invites you to visit his website at jerrypinkneystudio.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780316013550
Lexile Measure
700
Guided Reading Level
M
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date
October 01, 2007
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV007000 - Juvenile Fiction | Classics
Library of Congress categories
Folklore
Fairy tales
Germany
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
Recommended 2008 - 2008
Virginia Readers Choice Award
Nominee 2010 - 2010

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