Mary Hynes-Berry (Children's Literature)
The text of Pinkney’s Little Red Riding Hood closely follows Grimm’s cautionary tale; however, adults may find that Pinkney’s illustrations and phrasing add an entertaining edge of sophisticated play with the conventions. The story unfolds in a winter setting, perfectly appropriate for its Northern European origin. However, the human characters are shown as racially mixed rather than blond and blue-eyed. The wolf is drawn in a way that is reminiscent of a fox, but young children often confuse these two sly villains anyway. Both illustrations and language do a curious mix of adding explanatory detail and milking the violence: kindly old grandma and sweet child are grabbed and gobbled down whole. Attracted by loud snores and dubious tracks into the house, the woodcutter is surprised by a stirring of the wolf’s belly, which leads to a blow of the ax that kills the evil creature. The woodcutter then applies grandma’s shears to the villain’s belly, allowing Little Red Riding Hood to jump out, “bright as fresh snow.” and Granny to follow, never having felt better. This version is a wonderful example of how illustrations can provide a “reading” that goes well beyond the text alone. It is likely to become a favorite for Pinkney fans. 2007, G. P. Putnam and Sons, $16.95. Ages 3 to 7.

Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
Pinkney has chosen to retell the familiar tale in a lively fashion, filled with rich description and detail. The goodies for the sick grandmother include chicken soup and raisin muffins. Our heroine’s footsteps go “crunch, crunch” in the snow. The sly wolf sends her off the path to collect kindling for a fire to “warm your granny’s heart.” After exchanging the traditional dialog with the disguised wolf, the young girl is swallowed whole. Hearing the wolf’s snores and noticing the tracks in the snow, the woodcutter comes to the rescue. After they all enjoy the soup and muffins, the “little miss” goes straight home. Pinkney’s watercolors with pencil, gouache and ink, fill the large, double-page scenes, including the book’s endpapers, with details that demand attention. He creates stage sets in which the appealing characters play out the melodrama. Although Red Riding Hood’s cloak catches the eye, it is the wolf’s actions and sly, charming personality that steal the show. His slaying is shown discreetly as a shadow on the wall. This version deserves a place on the shelf alongside other traditional stories. 2007, Little Brown and Company, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2008)
Jerry Pinkney’s straightforward retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood” is distinguished by illustrations in which the title character is a young black girl. Pinkney’s lovely watercolor images of nature create a stunning stage for the familiar tale, with Red Riding Hood’s crimson cape a striking visual focal point as she travels through a subdued brown and white forest snowscape to her grandmother’s cabin. The wolf is deliciously realistic, his slinky body suggestive of muscle and danger; a sensibility at once heightened and made absurd once he dons Grandmother’s cap and glasses. Pinkney’s choice to make Grandmother light-skinned reflects the diversity that is embodied in so many families in this welcome recasting of a traditional tale. CCBC Category: Folklore, Mythology, and Traditional Literature. 2007, Little Brown, 32 pages, $16.99. Ages 3-7.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 17))
A gorgeously illustrated version of the classic tale, this time with a brown-skinned protagonist. The plot's traditional, though Red takes "chicken soup and raisin muffins" to Grandmama, and the wolf tempts Red off the path not with standard wildflowers but by suggesting she "collect kindling for a fire." The setting is winter: Snow covers the ground and trees, while tiny red berries highlight evergreens. Pinkney's backgrounds (forests, snow drifts, stone walls) are dappled with light; pencil and ink lines, and watercolor and gouache paint, subtly imply the presence of elusive faces or shapes. They merit extra time for perusal but never distract from the stunning crimson of Red's cloak or the wolf's fascinatingly devious and deviant postures. When the woodcutter chops open the wolf, the viewpoint is from outside the cottage, revealing only a small shadow through the doorway. Meanwhile, a bright red bird stands in a snowy bush as a sign that Red will be fine. A beautiful new rendering. 2007, Little, Brown, 40p, $16.99. Category: Picture book/fairy tale. Ages 3 to 6. Starred Review. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deana Groves (Library Media Connection, March 2008)
Drawing the reader in through beautifully detailed illustrations, Jerry Pinkney incorporates a non-traditional interracial cast to tell the traditional story of Little Red Riding Hood. The familiar storyline tells how a mother's instruction for the little girl to go straight to her sick grandmother's house falls on deaf ears as Little Red Riding Hood instead listens to a wolf that befriends her in the forest. She is delayed long enough for the wolf to eat the grandmother and then take on her identity. The rhythmic prose of what big arms, ears, eyes, and ultimately teeth you have preludes the demise of the little girl as the wolf gobbles her up. Hearing a strange noise from the old lady's house, a woodsman enters and frees grandma and Little Red Riding Hood from the wolf's belly, ending the story on a happy note. The watercolor illustrations are full of energy and movement that soften the somewhat frightening undertones of the story. Each scene is depicted on a two-page spread that spills off the edges of the page. If looking to add a little 21st century to a fairytale collection, this book is for you. Highly Recommended. 2007, Little, Brown & Company, 40pp., $16.99 hc.. Ages 6 to 10.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2008)
This story follows the Grimms' version: a wolf persuades Little Red to gather kindling for Granny's fire; he runs ahead, gobbles up the "kindly old woman" and, later, the girl; both are rescued by a woodsman. Pinkney's illustrations are set in the woods and cottages of what look like colonial America. An attractive take on the familiar tale, particularly appropriate for groups. Category: Nonfiction-Folktales and Nursery Rhymes. 2007, Little, 40pp, 16.99. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.