Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf

May 1, 2019
"Don't judge a book by its cover" meets "Don't believe everything you read." Loving the color red, reading, and a hood from her grandma earns this white, redheaded, bespectacled heroine the name of Red Reading Hood. Grandma is sick, so Red packs a "treat" and goes to find her. Encountering a wolf, she remembers all the advice she's read on wild animals, from "stand tall" to "throw rocks." But this wolf is after more than dinner. At Grandma's, unable to hold himself back, the disguised lupine pounces on the book in Red's bag, upsetting the usual fairy-tale format. All ends happily with a storytime (the real Grandma emerging from a wardrobe), though there is a near decapitation thanks to an overzealous man with an axe. Book-smart Red's--and readers'--expectations are challenged in the face of this unusual bibliophile. Building on this, the simple cartoon art excels in its depiction of the villain. Many a book lover will identify with the wolf rolling on a book like a cat in catnip, reveling in its "new book smell." Kids familiar with the original tale will find much to enjoy in these unexpected twists and turns. No shade on books, but it's real-world experience that saves the day in this alternative fairy-tale romp. (Picture book. 4-7)

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June 14, 2019

Gr 1-3-"She loved red. She loved reading. And she loved the special hood her grandma had made." And so when Grandma isn't feeling well, Little Red Reading Hood packs up a treat and sets out on the familiar journey. "Luckily, Red had read what to do if you encounter a wolf." He's persistent, and Red scares him off twice. "'Oh forget it, ' said the wolf as he slinked away." Moving along, Red knows from her reading what to do when a robin asks where she's going and even "what to do if you encounter a wolf dressed as a grandparent." It turns out, though, that she has misread the wolf as he pounces on her gift for Grandma. He's not really a threat, after all. "Oh that new book smell!...It's my favorite." Well, the wolf has to return Grandma, and that other traditional character-the axe wielding fellow who usually kills the wolf-has to show up, too. He charges through the door just as Red, the wolf, and Grandma are about to sit down and read: "And luckily...they all loved books." Campana's expressive comic drawings are adept in conveying characters, actions, and settings. Some readers familiar with the old tale will chuckle at the author's fractured retelling. Others may find it a pretty tame substitute. Adults leery of fairy tale violence may welcome it, and it might serve as a lesson in the value of reading. VERDICT A fairy tale variant worth adding to most collections.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

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