Little Red Riding Hood

by Beni Montresor

Not only is grandmother eaten up in this Perrault version, but so is Little Red Riding Hood. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385412126
• ISBN13: 9780385412124
• Release Date: September 1991
• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 11.5" x 9.8"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

The original version of the story is definitely not for kids

Everybody knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but what this illustrated version of the classic tale by Beni Montresor shows us is that we do not know the original story by Charles Perrault. That is not to say that readers of this version of "Little Red Riding Hood" will find anything particularly new in this version, beyond the idea that the title character is bringing a cake and a little pot of butter to her sick grandmother, but rather than certain elements that they have taken for granted lo these many years were not there in the beginning. With his artwork Montresor lulls readers into a false sense of security, as we enjoy the familiar beginning of the story and see the little red hood that the little girl's grandmother has made for her. Most children will be amused by the dapper white suit that the wolf wears when he encounters Little Red Riding Hood in the forest (note that Perrault answers the question that many of us had when first becoming inquisitive enough to start poking holes in the story regarding why the wolf does not devour the little girl as soon as they meet in the woods). However, once the wolf replaces the grandmother in the bed and lures Little Red Riding Hood closer to his big teeth, young readers are going to quickly realize that this is not the familiar version of the story that they know.Consequently one thing that can be said for sure is that Montresor's version of "Little Red Riding Hood" is not the first one that young children should learn. Let them become familiar with the sanitized version of the tale, which is par for the course these days (read very young children the original version of "Cinderella" where we learn what the step-sisters did to get their oversized feet to fit in the glass slipper, which will tell you why it was made of glass, and you could scar them for life). Perrault's story is much more in keeping with the grisly fairy tales of a couple of centuries back and Montresor's artwork plays up such elements, so be forewarned. The introduction to this book is provided by the opera singer Luciana Pavarotti, who recalls how he thrilled to this tale being told by his grandfather. Pavarotti recalls how he identified with Little Red Riding Hood because he shared her fears. When you read this book you will understand why he could call this a violent, mysterious tale, especialy with Montresor's artwork to bring out those aspects of the story.