Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, lauded read stays true to classics, axed wolf and all.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Eight classic tales -- including The Enormous Turnip, The Little Red Hen, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff -- are drawn together in a faithful compilation complete with hungry wolves and foxes, bullying trolls, and nosy little girls.
Is It Any Good?
Let’s be clear: This is nothing like Lucy Cousins’ gentle, popular Maisy books. This daring collection dishes up a treat, but it isn’t to everyone’s tastes. It’s too strong for sensitive kids (and sensitive parents). Families who are disappointed with watered-down revisions, however, will revel in this fun collection. Cousins’ familiar style -- emphatic lines and bold, joyful colors -- are put to wonderful use, infusing the stories with humor.
Some parents will be horrified by images like that of the wolf’s head flying over the head of dancing Little Red Hood and her grandma, but kids will very likely ask to read these again and again.
Vivid, exciting, and funny. Cousins’ familiar style -- emphatic lines and bold, joyful colors -- are put to wonderful use, infusing the stories with humor.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Little Red Hen's refusal to share her bread. Was she right to keep it to herself?
Quite a few of these stories involve bullies and deceitful characters. Pick one or two and talk about how the heroes deal with these difficult characters. What could they have done differently?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Lucy Cousins
- Genre : Fairy Tale
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Candlewick Press
- Publication date : August 11, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 7
- Number of pages : 128
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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