Little Red Riding Hood

Goodall clearly has enjoyed embellishing the story of Little Red Riding Hood in this wordless edition of the tale. His heroine is a sociable young mouse who encounters a number of friendly animals on her way to visit her ailing grandmother: a family of ducks, a chivalrous frog and a squirrel who stops to tell her the time. Who can blame her for assuming that the intentions of an impeccably dressed wolfsporting an ascot and top hatare innocent? Goodall's trademark use of alternating full and half pages work well to accentuate the drama of the story; in a few quick flips of the page the wolf springs from granny's door into her bedwith granny's red-stockinged feet dangling from his mouth. The woodcutter is a brawny bear who, despite the grisly appearance of blood on his axe, still has the appetite for a civilizing cup of tea after escorting Little Red Riding Hood home to her mother. Lush watercolor paintings beautifully evoke the woodland setting, balancing the more sinister elements of the story; this is another impressive addition to Goodall's distinctive opus. Ages 4-8. (September)