Little Red's Riding 'Hood

December 1, 2014
Stein (Bugs Galore) and Gall (Dinotrux) give a familiar fairy tale an automotive makeover, turning Little Red into a boyish red scooter, making the wolf a monster truck named Tank, and recasting Granny as a pink golf cart. The pages burst with vehicular jokes (Little Red thinks “Something felt out of alignment” upon arriving at Granny Putt Putt’s house, and her bed is a car lift). The result is inspired silliness. The unabashedly broad text taps into the target audience’s burgeoning interest in wordplay and spoofs, while offering opportunities for adults to display their acting and sound-effect chops (“KERRUNCHHA-CHA-CHA!”). But it’s Gall’s bold pictures that give the narrative its horsepower. He imagines the scooter’s hometown of Vroomville as a sprawling, curvilinear fantasyland with gentle hills, zigzagging roads, and car-themed stores like “Spare Attire.” Little Red has bright, expressive headlight eyes, while the hulking Tank is just scary enough—and so big that he can’t be contained on a single page. Ages 3–5. Author’s agents: Adrian Ranta, Wolf Literary Services, and Gillian MacKenzie, Gillian MacKenzie Agency. Illustrator’s agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic.

December 1, 2014
A revved-up and souped-up version of the classic tale for vehicle lovers.Little Red, a bright red scooter, loves his neighborhood, a modern-looking, Jetsons-meets-Cars-ish place filled with factories and stores catering to cars and trucks: Wanda's Windshields, Deals on Wheels, Turbo Tom's Tune-Up. But he doesn't love Tank, a mean assault vehicle. But that is just whom he encounters when his mother sends him with some tune-up goodies for his run-down granny, a purple golf cart. Tank scoffs at the quality of Little Red's offerings, sending him to Zip's Auto Bonanza for better parts. Although Little Red's caution lights go off, he does want the best for his granny. Tank, meanwhile, prepares for a "sweet scooter dessert." But Little Red wasn't born yesterday, and he senses something's "out of alignment" at Granny's. In the end, his maneuverability and knowledge of his 'hood turn out to be his best assets. Gall's digital artwork is filled with bold colors and fine-lined textures. He cleverly uses the vehicles' parts to make their faces, right down to Granny's pearl earrings-her side mirrors. Little Red's brilliant color nicely stands out against the blues, greens and silvers of the 'hood and the browns of the forest. And Tank is menacingly evil with his canine teeth protruding from his grille. Vehicle-crazed children will surely love their favorite tales better with a little grease and lots of burning rubber. (Fractured fairy tale. 3-6)

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March 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Little Red, a scooter with a lightning bolt stripe and baseball cap, enjoys riding around his 'hood. He sets off to help Granny Putt Putt who is feeling a bit run-down, when he meets notorious monster truck, Tank, whose villainous antics send Little Red straight into a dangerous trap. In typical fairy tale fashion, Tank speeds to the house of Little Red's grandmother, swallows her whole, and sets the stage for the arrival of Little Red. With an aurora of foreboding, Little Red describes the formidable appearance of Granny's headlights, wheels, and grille, until Tank roars out his dastardly plan. "ALL THE BETTER TO EAT YOU WITH, SCOOTER BOY!" A high speed chase brings about a quick turn of events: Grandma flies out of Tank's hood, Tank is transformed into a dejected traffic robot, and Little Red announces his status as the "NEW King of the Road!" The use of vehicles as characters may rev up the readership, though dialogue occasionally feels forced. "Well, burn my rubber! That oil's too thin and those plugs won't spark!" The town of Vroomville, known as the City with Drive, is filled with bright characters. VERDICT Though Tank, the monster truck, is clearly the meanest vehicle in town, cheerful colors ensure there's more fun than fright in this twist on a traditional fairy tale.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

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