The Wolf's Story: What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood

Be the first to write a review

Want to read this on your NOOK? Request as NOOK Book from the publisher

Thank you for requesting this book as a NOOK book from the publisher.

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

More About This Book

Overview
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Meet the Author

Advertising

Overview

Little readers will love second-guessing this funny, fractured fairy tale that replays the story of Little Red Riding Hood from the poor maligned wolf's point of view.

No, please. Look at me.
Would I LIE to you?
It was the old woman who started it.

Everyone knows there are at least two sides to every story, and if you believe in the big-eared, sharp-toothed villain of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, there's a logical explanation for everything. As our antihero tells it, it all starts with the helpful wolf doing odd jobs for Grandma (are you sure you don't want to sit a little closer?). How was he to know that he spoiled Little Red would come along and ruin a good working relationship? Zooming in dramatically from strategic angles, the amusing illustrations offer visual clues that this is a story to be taken with a grain of salt - and a lot of giggling.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Forward (Shakespeare's Globe) adds to the growing list of fractured fairy tales with this wolf's version of events involving Little Red Riding Hood, delivered directly to readers in often witty banter ("I did odd jobs for the old woman. Called her Grandma. We were close"). But the furry fellow, a self-proclaimed vegetarian, portrays himself as vulnerable and insecure when describing "Little Red." ("Me, I didn't like the kid being there.... I felt left out.... They just ignored me.") Cohen's detailed watercolors shape the wolf's perspectives via different senses; the red-caped girl is depicted through his agape mouth-with many sharp teeth-as a reflection in his deep-set eyes and framed by his furry ears. The illustrations also help play up the discrepancies in the narrator's version of events (when the wolf "help[s]" Grandma try to get down her dress, she gets "a teeny tiny bump on the head that knocked her cold"). The story maintains a sense of humor throughout and ends with the wolf hamming it up yet again: "And if you ever want any odd jobs done around the house... Here's my card." His bookend refrain-"Would I lie to you?"-conjures up an image of the oily salesman. Ages 4-8. (Nov.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

There is fun galore in this new look at the old story. The much maligned wolf has given us his point of view in other picture books, e.g. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Here, slyly taking us into his confidence, he insists he did "nothing wrong." He blames it all on "the old woman," and assures us that he is a new, helpful kind of wolf, even a vegetarian. He helps out "grandma" regularly, and does not enjoy the weekly visits of the kid with the red cape. From the point where he reaches grandma's house before the kid one day, his story takes an unlikely turn; he ends up in grandma's dress and in her bed. The dialog with the arriving kid is familiar, until she accuses him of eating grandma. Then the woodsman arrives and the wolf flees, indignant at what he calls a simple misunderstanding. "Would I lie to you?" he concludes. Cohen's cover illustration shows the wolf winking at us as we see the red cape on the way to the cottage in the woods, preparing us for the tongue-in-cheek retelling. The wolf, a scruffy creature created in vigorous pencil strokes with added watercolor for landscapes and interiors as well, appears far from the friendly sort his smooth talking suggests. There is almost an unfinished look to the scenes that projects a vitality, particularly in the energy of the wolf's exposition. The double page of "What BIG teeth you have," is a real shocker. 2005, Candlewick Press, Ages 4 to 8.
—Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

More Reviews (2) Fewer Reviews

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-The wolf's interpretation of what happened in the "Little Red Riding Hood" story tries too hard and misses the mark. He tells how he did odd jobs for Grandma and one day, as the woman was reaching into her wardrobe, she "`accidentally" bumped her head and was knocked out cold. In a panic, he pushed her inside and donned her dress to fool the granddaughter who was knocking at the door. The text has several lapses in logic. In one situation, the girl says, "What BIG ears you have," and the response is "`Oh, these old things,' I said, and changed the subject.'" However, he didn't change the subject since the girl is the next to speak. Throughout the retelling, the wolf poses questions that are meant to exude innocence-"Would I LIE to you?" "I did nothing wrong. Would I?" "Not everyone likes a wolf, do they?" The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations reveal a shiny-faced young girl, a cozy-looking grandmother, and a scraggly gray wolf with sly yellow eyes. They offer interesting perspectives: bird's-eye views of the forest; looking into the wolf's eyes to see the reflection of a small red-coated girl; and a view of the child framed by the wolf's tooth-rimmed mouth. At story's end, the animal walks away with his shortened tail wrapped in a bloody bandage while telling readers that he's still available for hire. Stick with Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! (Viking, 1989) for a humorous, and involving, story of fabricated guilelessness.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A teasing similarity to Jon Scieszka's masterpiece, but without its enormous success. From the tale the Wolf tells, he is innocence incarnate. But his comments to the reader (and the illustrations) paint a different picture. It seems the Wolf was a handyman for Grandma, so he witnessed the kid's weekly visits-visits that made him feel left out and lonely. One particular day the Wolf was out gathering herbs (he's vegetarian) and spotted Little Red bearing her basket laden with dentist's-nightmare toffee. Taking the shortcut to warn Grandma to hide her teeth, he found her reaching for a dress and witnessed the fall and subsequent unconsciousness. Readers know the rest. Cohen's detailed watercolors echo the wolf's two-sidedness: One moment he appears to be a hardworking laborer, the next he is looking sly-eyed at Grandma. The final page shows him with a hobo's stick over one shoulder, a bandaged stump of a tail and a sly look in his eye, looking for his next job: "No, please. Look at me. Would I lie to you?" Well, would he? (Picture book. 4-8)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780763627850
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication date: 10/11/2005
Pages: 32
Sales rank: 241,353
Age range: 4 - 8 Years
Product dimensions: 10.36 (w) x 10.05 (h) x 0.45 (d)

Meet the Author

TOBY FORWARD is the author of many books for children, including SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE. He has also written for adults and is currently working on a Victorian detective story. Toby Forward lives in Liverpool, England, with his wife and two daughters.

IZHAR COHEN's artwork has appeared in everything from the pages of the TIMES of London to postage stamps and calendars. THE WOLF'S STORY is his first book with Candlewick Press. Izhar Cohen lives in Israel with his wife and daughter.

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review

( 0 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble

The Wolf's Story: What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood

Pick Up in Store

Overview

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

More About This Book

Overview

Related Subjects

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Children's Literature

School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

Meet the Author

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

5 Star

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Your Rating:

Your Recommendations:

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

What to exclude from your review:

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

Reminder:

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!