Little Red Riding Hood

Based on late illustrator Trina Schart Hyman's 1983 Caldecott-honored picture book—a dramatic retelling of the Brothers Grimm fable about the titular girl in the red velvet cloak—this iconographic adaptation is narrated by Erin Yuen. Little Red Riding Hood uses jump cuts to heighten the sinister mood, backed with exaggerated music to match young Elisabeth's blinking eyes and the wolf's creepy curling tongue. When her mother sends Little Red with fresh bread, butter, and wine to take to her sick Granny, a sly wolf sidles up to the naïve girl, distracting her off the forest path with wildflowers and chirping birds. Of course, the wolf then speeds ahead, gobbles up Grandma, and goes through his transvestite charade to trick the girl and eat her too. Luckily, a nosy hunter who thinks “the old lady is snoring much too loudly” illegally enters the house, saves the girl and Gran, and drags away the villain's pelt. Presented in pencil and acrylic paint, this interesting—and actually a bit scary—take on the age-old tale is recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)