Little Red Riding Hood

by Jerry Pinkney

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 ast he clever wold himself--are sure to lure you into the heart of this treasured tale.

Genres: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Folklore, Fiction, African American, Folk Tales

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Jerry Pinkney was an American illustrator and writer of children's literature. Pinkney illustrated more than 100 books, including picture books, nonfiction titles and novels. Pinkney's works addressed diverse themes and were usually done in watercolors. He was the recipient of five Caldecott Honor books and the winner of the Caldecott Medal for The Lion and the Mouse. He also won the Coretta Scott King Award five times, the Coretta Scott King Honor four times, and was nominated for the prestigious international Hans Christian Anderson Award.

Reviews

[Meltha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pinkney appears to set this somewhere in North America, and Red Riding Hood seems to be African American, which is a nice way to make this an inclusive story in a classroom. There certainly aren't any details in the original version that it's even in conflict with. I did notice one odd thing, though, and perhaps it's only my version of the book or a printer's error, but both Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother have blue eyes after they are freed from wolf's belly (this is in keeping with the Brothers Grimm version); prior to that, they were definitely brown. I'm not sure if that signifies anything or not.

[Ch_hayley Medsker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The is the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood, who is off to bring her sick old grandmother something to make her feel well again. As expected, she meets the wolf in the forest, and the rest is predictable. The woodcutter hears the loud snoring of the stuffed beast, and saves the little girl and her grandmother from the belly of the wolf (minus any gruesome detail).
My second graders enjoy predicting, the "Grandmother, what big teeth you have," line in the story. Jerry Pinkney's watercolor illustrations gave this classic version of Little Red Riding Hood a antiquated feel. Although, I noticed, while my students did not, the ethnicity that Little Red seemed to elude. Her orientations was undefineable, but present to an analyzing eye. I enjoyed this aspect of the book; it brought a tinge of diversity to an otherwise very European tale.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Award winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney brings a classic Grimm Brothers fairytale to life in this version of Little Red Riding Hood. The story could be told through the elaborate illustrations alone. From the details in the clothes to the expressions on the characters faces, you get a sense of depth and movement in the action of the story. Little Red Riding Hood sets out to her Grandmothers, with her cherished cloak. Her fate follows in the expected way. She encounters a wolf who distracts her, races to granny's and (gulp) eats them both up! Saved by the woodcutter- details here are described in words only- granny and Red come out unharmed.

Perfect for preschool to grade 3 read aloud.

[RLL220_Amanda Alvarado · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me just like the classic Little Red Riding Hood. Except Little Red Riding Hood is African descent which was awesome. The illustrations were warm and inviting just like the original tale. The colors he used also make the wolf and red riding hood stand out in the story. Teachers can use this book to read to kindergartners through third grade. For students in kindergarten teachers might want to skip the part when the wolf is killed. Overall, I liked the book just hoped it was different then the original.

[Ashley Oh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Traditional Literature (Folktale)
Awards: Notable Children’s Books 2008
Audience: 3-6
Summary: A young girl is sent with a basket care package for her ill grandmother. On the way, she meets an evil wolf that tries to trick her both in the woods and at her grandmother’s.
-The main characters are described as either good or evil and how they fit into the story. For example, little red is the good girl who is on her way to help her ill grandma and the wolf is depicted as evil, mean, big, ie.
-There are versions of the story where the wolf isn’t killed but instead the grandma is eaten by the wolf. Another version was when Red kills the wolf. There are many variations of this great folktale, even within cultures.
-I definitely would use this for storytelling because it is a great story with amazing watercolor pictures that allow the story to become more real. It’s a tale that a lot love and should be shared with all with the “happily ever after” ending we all love.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

With minor differences from the original, Pinkney expertly retells the well known Grimm brothers' account of Little Red Riding Hood. I really enjoy that it is set in winter and that Little Red is of African American descent.

[Cameron Crays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Red Riding Hood- This is a children’s picture book of the Brothers Grimm classic fairy tale adapted by Jerry Pinkey. Jerry Pinkey is an award winning illustrator. The characters in the story include a little girl, a scary wolf and a sweet grandmother. The plot of this story is a sweet little girl meets a hungry wolf in the forest while on her way to visit her grandmother. I would say the conflict is a big part in this story because the most exciting part being the wolf comes and children would probably think that was coming. I would definitely recommend this book to young readers!

[Taylor Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful modern picture book illustrated by Jerry Pinkney uses many mixed medias. He uses pencil, watercolor, gouache, and ink to illustrate the story. The plot of the story starts by a little girl on her way to her grandma's house when she encounters a wolf. This popular folktale is a great book for all ages!

[Kennedy Fiscus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This modern picture book was beautifully created by illustrator Jerry Pickney. His illustrations are made from a mix of watercolors, pencil, gouache, and ink. From endpaper to endpaper, the wonderful illustrations do a great job at enhancing this popular folktale. With an exciting plot featuring the characterization of a young girl and a wolf, readers are sure to love this story.

[Jody Ruff]

Love the Illustrations in this book with the African American Red Riding Hood. Jerry Pinkney beautifully made her with great details on her face. This story is very well written with words that describe what she is hearing in the woods while she goes for a walk.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Red Rising Hood is a classic tale that many children, teens, and adults are familiar with. It is a story about a little granddaughter taking food to her sick grandmother, but on the way, she meets an evil wolf who plans to eat both Little Red and the grandmother. This book teaches children an important lesson about talking with strangers.

Reading this book as a child, I don't remember it being as violent as it was when I read it as an adult. The page that talked about getting Little Red and the grandmother out of the wolf's stomach used much more vivid language than I remember, and the picture attached to the text brought more attention to the violence being portrayed by the words.

Regardless of this, I still think young children will enjoy reading this book for multiple reasons. First, it is a story that their parents and grandparents are familiar with, which could excite the child to have something in common. Also, the pictures add lots of detail to the words to make the story more engaging. And lastly, children need to read the original story in order to enjoy the many different versions of this text.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a classic and so well written which is what makes it such a good book. I really love this book and I always have ever since I was a child. The mystery behind Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf keeps the children guessing which is how they respond to the book itself. The age group would be good for mainly children around 5-8 because of it being slightly more advanced in terms of wording. Other than that, it is good for really any age. The artwork in this book is very detailed and covers the whole page on every page. This, in my opinion, is great for children because they will be more attracted to it and see more of the story by using their imagination with the pictures. There is one page where it is Little Red Riding Hood in the forest which is covered in snow. The story tells us that she is walking and her footsteps are making a crunching noise. This could let children hear what noises are being made and could let them really feel like they are in the forest. These beautiful illustrations were made by using pencil, pen, watercolor, and gouache. The style that the illustrator has in this book is very dimensional and realistic pictures that go with the story so well. The front and back of the book, as well as the rest of the pages, are completely covered with the drawings. The color scheme of the whole book is mainly red and green, but uses all colors that are are very bright and attractive. Anyone could use this book in somewhere such as a classroom to read to children or to have them read it independently for pleasure. An activity to use would be to maybe let the kids draw their own forest with Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf. Overall I really enjoy this book and it never gets old!

[Asa Jacobs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about a girl, Little Red Riding Hood. Red Riding Hoods grandmother was sick and her mother wanted Red to deliver a goodie basket to help her feel better. Red was to go straight to her grandmothers house but was sidetracked by a sly wolf. The wolf thought Red and her Grandmother would make a tasty snack. The wolf sent Red to gather kindling and slipped away to Grandmothers house. Upon arriving at Grandmothers house the wolf gobbled her up and disguised himself in the old woman's clothes. The wolf waited in bed for Red to show up so he could eat her too. When Red showed up she asked the disguised wolf several questions. But after asking about his teeth the wolf gobbled her up too. The wolf then took a nap after finishing his snack. Soon after a passing lumberjack heard strange noises coming from the cottage and decided to investigate. He saw the wolf sleeping in the bed and also could see something moving in the wolfs stomach. The lumberjack killed the wolf and cut Red and her grandmother out of the wolfs belly. Both of the ladies were fine and decided to share the goodie basket with the brave man. After eating Red decided to return home and went straight there.

This book teaches a great lesson about doing as you are told and not getting sidetracked. I don't remember this story being so dark but it is a Grimm book so the conclusion makes much more sense. This is a classic story that almost every child is familiar with and story that will be around for generations to come.

[Ch_jank-caporale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is yet another interpretation of Jacob Grimm's version of the famous tale. Here, Granny and Red are both eaten by the greedy wolf, then rescued by a passing woodsman who cuts them out of the wolf's belly. Pinkney, who's won numerous Caldecott medals for other works, was passed over for this version. I loved his paintings but found Red ethnically puzzling- her granny and mother look white, while Red looks more of African descent. No matter, the illustrations are lovely. I was intigued by them, and kept reading hidden picture puzzles into the shadows of the watercolor renderings.
There are a few differences that can be noted by children to compare various versions of Grimm (like Trina Schart Hyman's, for instance). In this tale Red strtays from the path to pick sticks for kindling rather than flowers (it's set in winter not spring) and she carries chicken soup and blueberry muffins rather than bread, butter and wine in her basket. The woodsman uses an ax (then cuts them out with granny's shears) while in other versions he uses a knife (choosing not to use his gun for fear of hurting the women). There are so many versions of this tale, the choice should be on the quality of the language and the illustrations. This is one to consider.

[Jessica Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Pinkney’s version of the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood is a beautiful African American girl on a journey to bring her beloved grandmother a basket of goodies. As she skips through the forest, she meets the sly, greedy wolf, who eventually gobbles both Little Red and her grandmother up. A woodcutter ultimately comes to the rescue, cutting open the wolf’s belly so Grandmother and Little Red can escape, perfectly unharmed.

This is an excellent book to use in a classroom setting, anywhere from kindergarten to 3rd grade. Not only were the watercolor illustrations absolutely beautiful, but I love Pickney’s use of descriptive language, such as the “sweet little girl” and the “lovely red riding hood.” He writes beautifully, using diction like “cherished” and “affectionately.” He uses other literary elements like onomatopoeia, describing the “crunch, crunch” of a child’s footsteps in the snow and the “chop, chop” of the woodcutters working nearby. Finally, the book teaches some meaningful lessons such as the importance of following directions and the danger of talking to strangers!

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Red Riding Hood is a cautionary European fairy tale whose story can be traced back to the 10th century. It was told and noted down in France in the 10th century, in Italy in at least the 14th century, Germany by the Brothers Grimm in the 19th century, etc.

The story in this book is close to the Brother's Grimm version. Little Red Riding Hood is full of archetypal types; the wolf (a scoundrel), the old huntsman (a trustworthy older man), a little girl (innocent young lady), ect. It also reinforces staying on the right path and not falling for temptation (like picking flowers off the path).

I love the wintery feel of this book! The setting is very relaxing, like being in rural Europe or Tennessee during winter. Alas, it is not my favorite little riding hood book but I still enjoy it.

[Caroline Pilman-DeKruif · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his retelling of this well-known folktale, Jerry Pinkney uses a variety of media, including pencil, watercolor, gouache, and ink on paper, to share with readers the story of Little Red Riding Hood as she travels to visit her ailing grandmother. Double-spread format on large pages allow readers to view the warm, detailed illustrations clearly throughout the suspenseful story. Readers will clearly notice Little Red Riding Hood’s vivid coat on pages where she appears.

This book has 32 pages, and most spreads have a considerable amount of text, which may make this book ideal for grades kindergarten through 3rd rather than much younger readers. It would be a useful text in a unit of study on folktales or various versions of traditional tales.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow missed this book by one of my faves. Love the fact that LRRH set in the winter and features a protagonist of color. Game-changer.

[Emma Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney is a lesson for all children that you need to be careful who you trust. The story starts off with the mother telling the little red riding hood that she needs to check on her grandma and take her some food to help her feel better, but she needs to go straight to her grandmother's house. When she begins this journey, she runs into a wolf that is known to be sly and the wolf ends up getting information about where she is delivering the food and ends up following her there and getting to the house before her. The wolf lays in her grandma's bed dressed up as her and ends up conning the little girl into believing that the wolf is actually her grandmother. Then the wolf ends up swallowing the little girl whole before she can escape danger. Luckily a man with an ax comes to the rescue getting her out of the wolf's stomach and reunites her with her grandmother. This time when she goes back home, she's learned her lesson and goes straight there. The major themes in the book were being cautious of your surroundings and being careful who you trust. In the story Little Red Riding Hood's mother warns her to be cautious and not to talk to strangers on the path, but she ends up disobeying her mother and puts herself in danger. Secondly, this story shows how important it is to be careful who you trust because the wolf’s charm was able to mislead Little Red Riding Hood and put her in danger. The main genre of this book is traditional literature, because it has elements of the “classic” fairytale style. Also, it was a story that had been passed down many times before it was ever written down that teaches kids life lessons. Children reading this book could learn that it’s important to listen to trusted adults, because if she had just listened to her mother then Little Red Riding could have avoided danger and not have been stuck in the wolf's stomach. Children could also learn that it’s important to be careful around strangers because the wolf was kind but misleading, teaching kids that not all kind people can be trusted. This book was a WOW book for me because it’s a classic story that has been passed down many times teaching kids valuable lessons which I find hard to do in children's books.
The author used multiple literary devices and other forms of writing craft in this book. First, the author used the writing craft technique of imagery. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author had the grandmother’s cottage looking cozy and warm like how it would seem from Little Red Riding Hood's perspective. This writing craft technique enhanced the quality of the book by helping the readers visualize what the surroundings of the story looked like, but also what they felt like helping the reader understand why it was so easy to trick Little Red Riding Hood because she felt safe there. Second, the author used the writing craft technique of suspense. An example of this writing craft from this book is when the author had the wolf dressed up as the grandmother in the bed. This writing craft technique enhanced the quality of the book by engaging the reader and creating suspense of not knowing what was going to happen next. The author portrayed anti-bias perspectives in this book by having the main character be an African American girl. At the time this story was written, most stories had white characters and there was very little representation for African American children, but this story changed that and showed a strong and capable African American character. This allowed many African American children to feel seen and included in classic stories like little red riding hood.

[Emily Elfering · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this version of Little Red Riding Hood, written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, for a graduate school class on children's literature. Jerry Pinkney is a Caldecott winning artist. This version of Little Red Riding Hood is based off the classic Grimm Brothers folktale. I would recommend this version of the folktale to intermediate grades 2,3,4, and possibly 5. This version has more words on each page as compared to other versions and it uses higher level language that can affect comprehension. Jerry used watercolor to create detailed double-page spreads on every single page. By making each page a double page spread, it highlights the pictures to be important and a main focal point of this story.

The main character, Little Red Riding Hood, is characterized with her red cape in each scene regardless of the setting changing. The character is also portrayed as having dark skin and dark curly hair. This is different than the original Grimms Brothers portrayal with light skin and light hair. The illustrator of this book, Jerry Pinkney, is a Black illustrator that was able to portray people that look like him within this classic fairytale version. This is a way for a Black artist to add diversity and a voice within otherwise mainstream white fairytales.

Something I noticed within this version of Little Red Riding Hood was more dated ways of saying things such as, "Go see how she is faring. Mind you, little miss". This type of language may be new for many early readers in grade 2, 3, or 4. This could especially be new for multilingual students. As a reading specialist, this book could provide the opportunity to dive into language and the meaning of words while understanding the context of the story.

I did notice that parts of this book were more violent or graphic than other versions of this folktale. I think that this would be another reason to share with older grades rather than K/1. At the end of the story, this version had the same pattern as seen in many versions where the wolf is depicted laying in the bed and Little Red Riding Hood comments on how big the wolf's teeth are or arms are. This is a pattern that is seen in many folktales which reiterates traditional storytelling frameworks of not every story being told the exact same but there are parallels.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pinkney didn’t significantly change the traditional story here, and that isn’t a fault to the retelling, instead, Pinkney brings readers an ideal version, retaining the roots of the story we have all heard before. I especially enjoyed the detail of the “chicken soup and raisin muffins.” Who wouldn’t want to be gifted some homemade soup and muffins when ill?
It is the illustrations that give this retelling it’s punch however- they are spectacular- expressive, detailed, a visual feast. His carefully worked watercolor paintings bring the story to vibrant life in a way that the text alone could not.

I especially liked the illustration of Little Hood’s kitchen as her mother packs the basket and Little Hood ties on her herd cape- the folds of fabric in their clothing looks so soft and real, and the scene is comforting, with its spread of fresh foods and the traditional iron stove in the background.
Another memorable spread is the exact opposite- when the woodcutter discovers the wolf in the grandmother’s cottage, one can see a silhouette of him raising his ax over the bed in the doorway, and one can almost hear the snap of the ax landing- in the foreground of the illustration numerous birds and squirrels are leaping and flapping away from the sudden noise.
I like how Pinkney designed the wolf- quite lifelike, but often with lolling tongue or a yawn, it’s especially great when he’s pulling on the grandmother’s nightcap and licking his lips.


However no fault to this version, but rather the original tale... swallowing people whole? Either we need a dinosaur-sized wolf, (his mouth simply isn’t big enough) or a less jolly ending.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jerry Pinkney had a distinguished career of retelling folktales, fairy tales, and fables. In this one, he gives us a Black Little Red Riding Hood in North American woods. These choices underscore the timeless, universal qualities of fairy tales: if these stories are indeed for everyone, then anyone should be able to see themselves in their pages.

The woods and their inhabitants are rendered in impeccable detail: we see blue jays, cardinals, rabbits, and deer along Little Red Riding Hood’s route. The quilt on Grandmama’s bed is carefully painted to show its lovingly stitched patches.

Yes, the wolf eats both the child and her grandmother, but this information is relayed in the text. Children aren’t exposed to gruesome images. And of course, the woodcutter saves Grandmama and Little Red Riding Hood; the wolf is the only casualty.

Over the years many fairy tales have been sanitized to eliminate such frightening content. I understand why parents want to protect their kids. My six-year-old niece is very sensitive (like her auntie here), so I’m careful about what I share with her and how. Yet reading fairy tales reminds me of an important concept we discussed about them in my library school classes. Children need the certainty of knowing that the villain won’t come back. Being vague about a wolf or evil queen’s fate can give rise to anxiety that the baddies never go away. Sometimes we need to be gentle but honest with our kids.

[Emily Scanlon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Level: 4.4

Summary: This story includes beautiful illustrations and tells the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

Writing Trait: (1) Word Choice – Little Red Riding Hood utilizes precise wording to explain the story’s events. To emphasize the importance of word choice in our writing, I would display Little Red Riding Hood on a Smartboard so that the class could interact with the text. I would then initiate Kristina Smekens’ strategy to highlight the strong words in purple (Smekens Education Solutions, 2017). For example, lovely, faring, instructed, sly, and delay, are just some of the descriptive words I would highlight in Little Red Riding Hood. Students could then take out their writing journals and pick an entry to check for “purple words”. If they do not have any “purple words”, or would like to add more, they would be given time to do so.

Reading Component: For this story, students are exposed to an array of vocabulary words. As a result, I would want to draw attention to the words they may not know, and encourage them to use context clues to derive understanding. The vocabulary words found in Little Red Riding Hood would then be placed on our word wall for future reference.

Reference

Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. (2017, April 18). Got Purple Words? Retrieved November

18, 2017, from http://www.smekenseducation.com/Got-P...

[Tess Upchurch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl travels through the woods to visit her sick grandmother. Along the way she runs into a wolf. Ignoring her mother’s instructions, she chats with the wolf and eventually stops to gather kindling for a fire. While the young girl is distracted the wolf runs ahead and eats the grandmother. When the girl arrives, the wolf eats her too. Eventually they are recused by a huntsman who cuts open the wolf, allowing the grandmother and granddaughter to crawl out unharmed.

I really enjoyed this version of Little Red Riding Hood. I have always loved Pinkney’s illustrations, but I felt that these ones in particular were beautifully done and that they complimented the text well. I wish that some of the characters had been developed more but Red Riding Hood and the wolf were more developed than I expected. The author did a great job of utilizing descriptive language and I felt truly interested in the story. This is a rendition that I would love to read again.

This book would make a perfect addition to my classroom. The detailed illustrations would make it a great read aloud book. I also liked that it told a less common version of the story (at least for me) in which Little Red Riding Hood talks to the wolf and delays her trip to her grandmother’s house. I think it would be interesting to have students compare and contrast versions of this tale.

[Alesha M]

Genre: Fairy Tale
Bibliography: Pinkney, J. (2017). Little Red Riding Hood.

Response: Giving a new take on the famous Little Red Riding Hood, Caldecott Winner Jerry Pinkney retells the story of a girl on the way to her grandmother's house. Little Red Riding Hood must try her hardest not to get swayed by the witty wolf and finish her journey to her grandmother. After the wolf swallows both of them, a lumberjack comes in to save both of them. The book stays true to the original and is magnified through the charming illustrations and watercolors. One of the major changes in the book is changing Little Red into an African American girl. This book is perfect to read in an open setting, sitting on the carpet and reading aloud to students, allowing them to make their inferences on the story as they follow along. The inclusion of Black people into folklore allows for folklore to be more accessible to younger PoC children who would appreciate seeing themselves in the characters while being able to simultaneously pick up on the lessons (maybe even more so now!) that go along with them. The art style is one of my favorites and makes me want to read other books by the same author.

[Victoria Lambert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a traditional picture book. It had the main characters of Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf, the grandmother, and the woodsman with the ax. Little Red Riding Hood sets off to bring her ill grandmother homemade food from her mother with instructions to go directly there. The wolf intercepts her journey and after distracting Little Red, makes his way to Grandmother's house to eat her. When Little Red gets there, he eats her, too. Then, the woodsman stops by and notices something is amiss, leading to him killing the wolf and saving Little Red and her grandmother. The pictures are beautiful and take up the whole page. There is a lot of movement and they are not very clean, but they are very beautiful nonetheless. The girl portrayed as Little Red looks to be of African American-Caucasian mixed race, which is different from other Little Red Riding Hood books I have read. The setting is based in the woods and the grandmother's house and the theme is to follow instructions and be cautious of strangers/giving them information.

[Abby Bauernfeind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinkney gives great attention to the personification of the wolf and emphasizes his cunning actions through precise vocabulary. The vivid descriptions of the wolf help paint the picture of a truly evil character while Red is portrayed with innocence and purity. The story is a page turner and spaced out incredibly well as it allows for just enough time to process each event before moving on to the next aspect of the story. The reader is afforded with the opportunity to predict whether Red goes straight home after the whole ordeal. The value of the lesson is exemplified by the consistency of the wolf’s actions as well as Red, the grandmother and the woodcutter. Both the images and the text provide the reader with a window into the story. Pinkney does not leave any details out which furthers the depth with which the readers engage with the story. The book was almost too scary for me in some places which leads me to hold this version back for an older grade level so that I do not alarm young students.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ultimately lovers of this picture book have to thank the Brothers Grimm. In all the renditions of their fairy tale, has there ever been a lovelier retelling than this version from Jerry Pinkney?

Here's how Jerry voices the most famous scene in the classic story:

"Oh Grandmama, what great arms you have!" said the child in wonder.
"All the better to hug you with, my dear," replied the wolf.

"Oh Grandmama, what great ears you have!" she remarked.
"All the better to hear you with, my dear," the wolf responded.

"Oh Grandmama, what great eyes you have!" the girl cried out.
"All the better to see you with, my dear," declared the wolf.

"Oh Grandmama, what great teeth you have!" she squealed.
"All the better to EAT you with, my dear," howled the wolf.

The ending is happy, and told better than I've ever heard and seen it before.

FIVE STARS of admiration for this exceptional rendering of a fairy tale.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This version of Little Red Riding Hood is told and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. In this story, a girl is told to take some muffins to her grandmother. She meets a wolf in the woods who distracts her and eventually sneaks to her grandmother's house and eats her whole. Luckily, a woodcutter hears loud snoring and discovers that the wolf has eaten the poor old lady. The wolf is killed and the grandmother is saved. This story follows the traditional Little Red Riding Hood very closely. In this version Little Red Riding Hood is African American, while her grandmother is white, promoting acceptance and inclusion. This is a quick read and I would recommend for young elementary students grades 1-3. However, keep in mind the story is a bit dark and some students may be scared of the wolf and his deceptive ways.

[Karli Mittel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic story following the folk tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Grimm Brothers version. Little Red Riding Hood sets off on a journey to visit her ill grandmother. Along the way she runs into a not so nice wolf who persuades her to pause her journey and pick up some firewood, as he then goes and gobbles up the grandmother (dark, I know). He waits for Little Red Riding Hood to show up and finishes his two course meal and swallows her whole. Now unlike the Grimm Brothers version, a wood cutter comes along and kills the wolf and sets both the grandmother and Little Red Riding Hood free. Ultimately the folk tale results in a (sort of) happy ending, if you forget about the fact the wolf ate them whole. All in all, Jerry Pinkney used gorgeous illustrations and a fabulous rendering of the classic Little Red Riding Hood story to create a great children's book.