Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon: A Picture Book

by Ying Chang Compestine, Joy Ang (Illustrator)

Overview

In Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon, award-winning author Ying Chang Compestine reimagines the classic fairy tale from a Chinese perspective, filled with action and humor—with stunning color illustrations by Joy Ang.
 
By now, you have probably heard the old folk tale about a girl in a red cape.
The truth is that the story took place here in China, there wasn’t a woodsman, and I, the gentle wolf, certainly was not the one who ate them.
Here is the real story.
 
This is not the story you think you know. In this version of the classic fairy tale, Little Red lives in a village near the Great Wall and trains in kung fu. When she ventures to her grandmother’s to deliver rice cakes and herbal medicine, she encounters something much more fearsome than a wolf—a mighty dragon. With her wits and a sword in hand, Little Red must valiantly defend herself and her grandmother in this vibrant retelling.
 
An author’s note discusses how this reimagining is influenced by Chinese mythology, symbolism, traditional medicine, and other elements of Compestine’s heritage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419737282
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Award-winning author Ying Chang Compestine is a sought-after speaker who has lectured at schools and universities around the world. Her books include the picture book The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes and the middle-grade Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier. She is passionate about showcasing Chinese history and culture, promoting healthy eating and living, and inspiring young writers. She lives in Lafayette, California. Joy Ang is an illustrator who has worked in comics, video games, and animation. Her picture books include the Mustache Baby series and Mulan: The Legend of the Woman Warrior, and she is the illustrator behind The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid. She currently lives in Bellevue, Washington, with her husband, son, and fluffy cat.

 

Editorial Reviews

"The colorful characters, including Dragon, are adorably expressive. . . A fun addition to the fractured fairy-tale bookshelf." 

— Kirkus Reviews

"Chang Compestine empowers with a retelling that casts the red-hooded heroine as a kung fu performer." 

— Publishers Weekly

“Whimsically reframes the classic European folktale from a Chinese point of view . . . a delicious, original, and highly entertaining story.”

— Common Sense Media

From the Publisher

2022-09-14
A Chinese Little Red Riding Hood meets a dragon in the woods.

A gentle, bespectacled gray wolf would like to set the record straight about the old folktale “about a girl in a red cape.” The real story, the wolf recounts, is about a girl who lived in China in the shadow of the Great Wall. Accompanied by cartoon animation-style art, the tale mimics the Western version of the story, with Chinese cultural details incorporated throughout (for instance, bringing Nǎinai herbal soup and a rice cake) and a big bad dragon as her adversary. Nǎinai gets gobbled up, and Dragon jumps into bed wearing her nightgown and cap. “What large hands you have!” Little Red exclaims. “All the better to hold you with,” Dragon replies. And so on. However, once Little Red has also been gobbled up and no woodsman comes to the rescue, she takes matters into her own hands. Inside Dragon’s stomach, after reuniting with Nǎinai, Little Red finds various items with which to antagonize him, such as a Chinese yo-yo that bounces around and silk ribbons that tickle Dragon’s insides. In a delightful illustration showing the cross section of the creature’s long stomach, Little Red even deploys her kung fu moves. Finally, she splashes the pungent herbal soup about to make the dragon retch, and out comes everything in his stomach. Page compositions and backgrounds may be run-of-the-mill, but the colorful characters, including Dragon, are adorably expressive. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A fun addition to the fractured fairy-tale bookshelf. (author’s note, more information on the items in the dragon’s belly) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews