Booklist starred (July 2016 (Vol. 112, No. 21))
Grades K-2. Little Red is off to take some medicine to her Auntie Rosie, who has come down with a case of spots. Trailed by her tiny pet goat, she passes the sleepy crocodiles, the chattering monkeys, and the leaping gazelles. Everyone says hi to Little Red, but uh oh! Who’s that peeping out from behind the baobab? It’s no surprise when the lion takes a shortcut to Rosie’s house, puts on a nightgown, and prepares to ambush Little Red. It is a surprise, however, when Little Red flips around “What big teeth you have” to teach Lion a few lessons. First up, “what tangled hair you have!”—a lovely set of beribboned braids will do the trick. Next up, that nasty maw—“brush, brush, brush.” Finally, that old nightgown has got to go. Startled Lion is not only still hungry (but much prettier); he’s tired of being fussed over, and in exchange for a promise to behave, he gets to share a box of doughnuts with Little Red and her aunt. Spectacular, zingy, warm colors, an African setting, fantastic comic timing, and cartoonish, acrobatic lines infuse this updated take on a classic tale with maximum humor and energy. This hilarious retelling is destined for repeat reads
I have read this book to first graders and added the opportunity for the students to predict and make text-to-text associations. They are very aware that this book is a different version of a very familiar story, yet they really seem to enjoy the opportunity to guess what will happen next. They relish the animals in the jungle as well as Little Red's actions toward the Very Hungry Lion. When the book is finished, I break the students into groups of three and have them create their own version of Little Red.
Posted by Margo Irving
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