Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten!

Honestly, Red Riding Hood was Rotten! was something I picked due to my affinity for fairy tales. There isn't anything better in the world, in my opinion, than a particularly good retelling of a fairy tale!

My first reaction was completely amusement. The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful, and will definitely hold the attention of any young reader! Fast-paced and vivid with color, each page draws your eyes in and holds them there while the story is being told. From the facial expressions of the wolf, to the vain ponderings of Red Riding Hood, this book is laugh out loud adorable!

In this particular retelling, the wolf is a vegetarian. he tries oh so hard not to eat meat. However he is out of food and hungry. What does he see, but a lovely apple! Or is it? Cue Red Riding Hood in one of the most giggle worthy illustrations of her character that I have ever seen. I couldn't honestly blame the wolf for mistaking her for something delicious. I'll let you dive into the story to find out exactly what he was thinking about.

The only reason I didn't fall as in love with this book as I could have, was because my heart belongs to another retelling of Red Riding Hood. I won't share which one, since I don't like to compare books if I can help it, but it is another retelling from the wolf's point of view. I also felt at times that the jokes were a little forced. Again though, we're talking about a children's book here. I know that my first graders would be giggling at every single one, and that makes me happy.

Long story short, this is a lovely retelling of a classic story! If you have a reluctant young reader, this would be a great book to start them out with. I also see if as a great bed time story book. The illustrations alone make it worth sharing with your little ones. Thank you to Trisha Speed Shaskan for such a sweet book!