Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon: A Picture Book
Staff Reviews
Absolutely adorable fairy tale twist where a Chinese Dragon takes on the role of the Big, Bad wolf...according to the Wolf! The setting is near the Great Wall of China and the story incorporates some culture from the area. The end of the book will make you chuckle as the wolf gives his opinion. The note from the author is informative as well. Great book and a must have for my fairy tale collection!
Description
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.
Praise for Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon: A Picture Book
"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