Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood : Pictures by Anna Pignataro, story by Charles Perrault, Retold by Margrete Lamond (Little Hare)

ISBN 9 781921 894879

HB $12.95 RRP

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Once Upon a Timeless Tale is a series of beautifully presented hardback editions re-telling classic stories including Jack and the Beanstalk, The Ugly Duckling and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Little Red Riding Hood starts with …' in the days when wolves could talk and should have known better …' The familiar story, told with a humorous slant, is accompanied on each page by illustrations, full of colour and character. With a red spine decorated with pictures of delicate dandelion seeds, the book feels nice as well as looking it, inviting the reader inside.

In this series, the illustrators are showcased, with only their name on the front page. Anna Pignataro, Melbourne based illustrator and creator of over fifty children's books, has provided  pictures which deserve this attention. Rosy cheeked Riding Hood skips through colourful pages filled with interesting details that will definitely appeal to young readers and listeners. There's even an illustration of the inside of the wolf's stomach containing poor Grandma and Riding Hood and later on, when the woodcutter has replaced them with stones.

This is the traditional story, with no sugar coating at the end, when it comes to the wolf. Little Red Riding Hood is a bit precocious, but in a good way. The best line in the book comes right at the end.

        "'That should teach you,' said the grandmother,' not to talk to wolves.'

        'That should teach the wolf,' said Red Riding Hood,' not to talk to little girls.'"

        And you can't argue with that logic!

This is a great book to introduce a new generation to a story that will never get old. Recommended for children aged five and above.

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood by Alison Jay (Koala Books)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74276-071-1

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

This is the story of Little Red Riding Hood. As far as versions of this classic fairytale go, this retelling doesn’t stray too far from the path. Like the girl herself, this tale strolls through the wood, is momentarily distracted by the wolf, and then continues on towards grandma’s house where trouble is waiting in the form of The Big Bad Wolf with his big ears, big eyes and big teeth. Little Red Riding Hood is saved by a brave woodcutter, Grandma is let out of the wardrobe and they all live happily ever after.

However...Little Red Riding Hood does live in Fairytale Village. And it is here, according to the prologue, ‘where stories happen every day’. These stories happen in every picture, in every scene in this charming, engrossing picture book. If you look closely in the illustration where Little Red Riding Hood is picking flowers for Grandma (at the wolf’s suggestion) you may see Puss in Boots asleep up a tree while his boots rest at the foot of the trunk. You may see Hansel & Gretel in the distance, or the Three Billy Goats Gruff crossing a bridge. And many of these stories are continued on throughout the book.

It is a treasure trove of characters for young children who know their fairytales. The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Enormous Turnip, Henny Penny, Jack and the Beanstalk, the Gingerbread Man and the Frog Prince are among those who make an appearance. A child could spend hours spotting and following different fairytales through this story.

Jay’s illustrations are lovely. They are colourful and busy but not over-detailed. Despite the amount going on in each picture, the scenes are uncrowded and calm, allowing young children the space to easily see all the stories within. The crackled appearance of these illustrations makes them seem like old oil paintings.

This is a picture book which blends the experience of pictures and text perfectly. And it gives young children who do not read yet the chance to ‘read’ their own story in the pages. It is a fantastically entertaining book.