The Reading Warehouse

Gr 7–9—Vande Velde adds to her collection of twisted fairy tales with these eight versions of "Little Red Riding Hood." Following a tongue-in-cheek author's note in which the author analyzes the premise and characterization in the traditional tale, she asserts that "'Little Red Riding Hood' is a strange and disturbing story that should probably not be shared with children." Her new, often creepy personalities and situations are created around the classic narrative and dialogue patterns. One story brings in the woodcutter as a villainous kidnapper of little girls while another introduces Granny as a werewolf. Sarcasm and satire are also present in a couple of the stories with the Brothers Grimm featured as bumbling sons of the woodcutter while in another the red cloak itself is personified to foreshadow the appearance of a notorious red cape belonging to a certain superhero of the 20th century. Through it all, the Little Reds of Vande Velde's imagination prevail and outsmart each new challenge. Bizarrely comedic, this slender anthology will leave older readers with some "ha-ha" moments when reflecting on the absurdity of each new scenario and conclusion. A possible segue into creative-writing workshops and assignments or just another fun read.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI