Little Red and the Big Bad Editor

by Rebecca Kraft Rector, Shanda McCloskey (Illustrator)

Overview

In this clever and playful fractured fairy tale picture book, the Big Bad Wolf is so distracted by Little Red’s poorly written thank you note to her grandmother that he keeps missing the chance to eat her!

Once upon a time, Little Red received a bold new cape from her Granny. She wrote her a thank you note, packed a basket of goodies, and walked through the meadow to Granny’s house. But swish swash SWOOP, the big bad wolf stops her in her tracks, opens his mouth wide, leans in close and...​

Sees the note.

Mr. Wolf can’t believe how sloppy the letter is—Red can’t give this to Granny! He corrects her grammar but misses out on his dinner while he’s distracted each time he encounters Red on the path. Can she keep outsmarting the Big Bad Editor and make it all the way to Granny’s house?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534469297
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rebecca Kraft Rector is a retired children’s librarian who has written over thirty children’s books and has been published in several magazines for young readers. For as long as she can remember, she has loved reading and writing stories and poems. She also loves animals, especially cats and horses. She lives in Virginia.

Shanda McCloskey comes from a family of different kinds of artists and entrepreneurs. She studied art in Atlanta and New York City. Before writing and illustrating kid’s books, she taught art to high schoolers. Shanda now lives in Ball Ground, Georgia, with her husband, daughters, and dog! She is also a cocreator of AuthorVisitCentral.com and the Author Visit Podcast.

Editorial Reviews

2022-05-25
Each time Mr. Wolf seems about to devour Little Red on her way to Granny’s house, he is thwarted both by Red’s cleverness and by the poorly written letter she is bringing to thank her grandmother for her new cape.

In this funny riff on a much-parodied folktale, beginning writers and the read-aloud crowd are exposed to new words and lots of similes as they simultaneously learn the rudiments of proper letter writing. Whenever hungry Mr. Wolf surprises Red on her journey—which takes her through both the woods and the city—he’s distracted by the letter and leans over to further improve it; after he’s done editing, she cleverly shoves into his mouth a delectable baked good from her food bucket, then races away. The cartoonish but aesthetically appealing art and the layout perfectly complement—and add to—the text’s humor; at one juncture, Red escapes the wolf by stealing his skateboard. By the time Granny is reached, the lessons have moved from finger-spacing to headings. Usually, the wolf explains each change, which then shows up in the art; oddly, periods at the ends of sentences appear without comment. Red has tan, freckled skin and orange hair; Granny’s skin is several shades darker. Mr. Wolf has the proverbial big, pointy teeth, softened by his skinny body and the pencil behind his ear. All will enjoy the wickedly funny denouement: Mr. Wolf’s thank-you letter. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Deliciously satisfying. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews