Little Red Riding Hood. Into the Forest Again

by Shaunda Kennedy Wenger

When Little Red sets out to bring a cake to Grandmother's house, she promises the mirror on her wall that she won't talk to strangers. But as the shadows of the forest press around her, she finds that keeping that promise is hard to do. After all, safety is found in numbers, isn't it? That depends on what happens when Little Red meets the biggest shadow of all.

Genres: Childrens

70 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2011

About the author

Shaunda Kennedy Wenger is co-author with Janet Kay Jensen of The Book Lover's Cookbook, Recipes of Celebrated Works of Literature and the Passages That Feature Them, which was featured as a 2003 Holiday Gift Pick on National Public Radio. Her niche cookbook, From Rivets and Rails, Recipes of a Railroad Boarding House Cookbook, is based on her great grandmother's 1900s cookery journal. Her self-published books include two middle grade novels, The Ghost in Me and Reality Bites, Tales of a Half-Vampire, as well as a chapter book, Little Red Riding Hood: Into the Forest Again, which earned the 2011 KART Kids Book List Award and the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Award. Her other work includes stories, poems, and articles with educational publishers and magazines. When she is not writing, she is either teaching, spending time with family and friends, or seeking outdoor adventure. She can be visited online at her blog, www.shaundawenger.blogspot.com.

Reviews

[Bunny]

** Originally posted on www.BunnyCates.com **

I was pleasantly surprised how cute this book is! Not only did Mrs Wenger write an entertaining retelling (with an important lesson) but she illustrated it perfectly! There are the cutest hand drawn sketches through out the book that helped give the story the visual aspect that is so important to younger readers. They are also “line art” type sketches, so I can imagine many a little one would love to give this art work their very own flair with splashes of crayons!

Much like the classic Red Riding Hood, this version has a lesson to be learned and that lesson is “don’t judge a book by its cover” so to speak. Throughout her journey to Grandmothers house, Red meets a lot of new fun friends. True to the original, Red gets quite a surprise when she reaches her destination.

As a mom, I could see reading this to/with say 3 to 6 or 7 year olds. The story is a little quick read, and I think is sure to entertain. “Challenge” wise it was definitely under Bug’s reading level. She is 5th grade reading on 8th grade level, but story wise – she smiled the whole way through so I would say it would be a great pick for like 7 years and under.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was little my parents would read me Little Red Riding Hood. And I was always sad because the wolf was mean. And bad. I always wondered how different the story would be if the wolf was nice. Now I know! Amazing! I love that the wolf is female. It shows that sterotypes can be changed. It was nice to have a happy ending to Little Red Riding Hood!
I also loved the font that was used. It went well with the "lil kid feel" of the book.
This would be a perfect book for 10 & under. It has short little chapters, short enough they could read one or two a night. But it does have chapters so it has that "grown up" book feel! It has a few pictures but not too many. Allowing kids to start using their imagination! I had some problems with that when I started reading "grown up books" so a book like this would be perfect! A picture every few pages to go with the story line.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!

[Barbara Bockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yummy

This book is perfectly plotted with a cast of charming characters. There is just enough mystery about the wolf, but not so much as to frighten a child. The twist in the wolf's character comes as a fun surprise. There is much lyricism in the writing. Recommended for upper elementary age.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for a 5 year old. I thought it was a nice story and my rating is based on it being for little kids.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, well written book with a twist on a classic. Loved the characters.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute children's story. I enjoyed how it ended.