Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion

Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion by Alex T. Smith (2015, UK; 2016 US)

Little Red provides a fun, sassy, and fashionable take on the Little Red Riding Hood story. Little Red immediately recognizes that it’s a lion in her auntie’s bed, and decides to teach the beast a lesson. After taming his wild mane with twists and braids, making him clean his teeth and upgrade his wardrobe, Little Red scolds the fed-up lion, with an admonishment to simply ask for some food if he’s hungry!

Themes/topics: fairy tales, red, tricksters, manners, sickness/illness

Sample text from one spread:

“Oh, hello,” purred the Lion. “Where are you going?”

“To visit my auntie who is covered in spots,” said Little Red.

In the time it took for his tummy to rumble, the Very Hungry Lion had cooked up a very naughty plan.

[illustration shows a map of his plan, which concludes, ‘Well done! You are a VERY clever Lion!’]

And off he rushed to put his plan into action.