Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Charles Perrault
Publisher: D.C. Heath and Co., Boston, New York, Chicago
Copyright: 1901
Pages: 3-10 for each tale
Reading Level: 4
Genre: Fairy Tales
Rating: ****
Other tales: Little Tom Thumb, The Little Glass Slipper, Blue Beard

Summary:
All the Perrault tales start out with the classic once upon at…so here we go. Once upon a time, there was a little girl who was loved by her mother and even more by her grandmother. So her grandmother mad her a little red hood to wear and all through town people called her fondly Little Red Riding Hood. One day her mother had her take some things to her grandmother who was sick. As she was walking through the forest she came upon a walk. Now the wolf would have eaten her then and there but there were wood cutters in the forest so he asked where she was going. When she said to her grandmothers he raced her there, acting as little red riding hood and gobbled the grandmother up and was in bed waiting for little red riding hood to get there. A little later she arrived, and comes to her grandmothers bedside. This is when we hear her state the classic lines such as, “Grandmother dear, what big eyes you have” and so forth. Then when she asks the classic line, “Grandmother dear, what big teeth you have” the wolf jumps on Little Red Riding hood and eats her up.

Who would benefit from reading this?
These tales are fun for every kid, not only is it good for kids to know the classic fairy tales, but these don’t add any fluff to the end. They are very realistic and the best part is the morals found at the end of every tale. They are not only catchy but relate to all ages of life.

Potential problems/conflicts:
Perrault’s tales don’t beat around the bush, the story ends just like it would in real life. So some parents or teacher might not want their kids to be reading such tales that don’t have happy endings.

My reaction:
These were my favorite fairy tales of all. I think the thing that I liked most were the morals at the end of every story. These were not only good for children to read, but people from every age group could relate. Here is one from Little Red Riding Hood.
“Little girls, this seems to say,
Never stop upon your way.
Never trust a stranger-friend;
No one knows how it will end.
As you’re pretty, so be wise;
Wolves may lurk in every guise.
Handsome they may be, and kind,
Gay, or charming never mind!
Now, as then, ‘tis simple truth—
Sweetest tongue has sharpest tooth!”