This is my favorite version of Little Red Riding Hood, which is retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. Honestly my love of this book has everything to do with the pictures! I never tire of them. I find Tricia an enchanting illustrator, drawing a world with beautiful people and illustrations that have a very magical feel, rich in detail and color.The Little Red Riding Hood in this book is as sweet and innocent as can be, and the wolf is everything a wily wolf should be. Riding Hood is lured off the path to pick a bouquet for Grandmother, while the wolf runs to Grandmother's house to take care of business. Be warned that this retelling is closer to the original story than some others, including Grandmother and Red Riding Hood getting swallowed hungrily, only to come out well and whole again when cut out by the huntsman. This is the version that I grew up with, but some may prefer the less horrific hiding-in-the-closet version, in which case they must look elsewhere.
There is a very clear moral for the little girl in this story, which is that she should have done just what her mother asked her to do--stay on the path. If you chance to meet this book, sit a spell and be drawn into Little Red Riding Hood's richly drawn world. You won't regret it.
2 comments:
What a beautiful story. The illustrations are everything you said they would be - wonderful. I have now read others illustrated by the same person and enjoy every minute of it. To my surprise, Lanse has taken a keen liking to the Grimm brothers tales and other such stories. There is a reason they have withstood the test of time. We also find that fables often have the same catching stories. Thank you for introducing another wonderful illustrator to our readings.
I'm going to look for this version. I'm on a quest to own some classic fairy tales that I will love every time I open them. Thanks!
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