The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza)

by Philomen Sturges, Amy Walrod (Illustrator)

Overview

The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780142301890
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	11/11/2002
Series:	Picture Puffin Series
Edition description:	REPRINT
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	66,032
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.06(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	AD570L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Philemon Sturges, an architect, is the author of Sacred Places, illustrated by Giles Laroche. He lives in Princeton, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Sturges's (Bridges Are to Cross) retelling of "The Little Red Hen" exudes charm, thanks to conversational narration and Walrod's (Horace and Morris But Mostly Dolores) delightful cut-paper images. One day, the feathered heroine, assembled from russet, fibrous paper stock and wearing a teal scarf, has a hankering for pizza and attempts to recruit the help of her neighbors--a yellow duck in a flowered swim cap, a cardboard-brown dog sporting a biscuits box and party hat and a hip blue cat with a beret and sax. But Sturges's modern fowl, rather than drafting helpers to harvest wheat, asks, "Who'll run to the store and get me some flour?" They reply with the classic, " `Not I,' said the duck. `Not I,' said the cat. `Not I,' said the dog. `Very well, then, I'll fetch some myself,' said the Little Red Hen." After repeating this ritual several times, the hen prepares her masterpiece solo. Time-lapse sequences show her kneading dough, grating cheese and slicing pepperoni. She holds no grudges against the duck, cat and dog, who share the meal, and all ends happily when the three volunteer to wash the dishes. Sturges makes the most of the repetitive formula and the hen's impulsiveness; each time the hen struts to the market for one thing, she can't resist buying "...some other stuff." Walrod's collages make cutting and pasting look like a breeze. She invents tidy packages for each miniature store-bought item and uses an abundance of textured paper stock for her fluent images. Her pizza pie really does look good enough to eat. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

"This retelling of The Little Red Hen exudes charm, thanks to conversational narration and delightful cut paper images," wrote PW in a starred review. Ages 3-7. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 3-A funky rendition of the classic tale. Hen, having decided to make a pizza, discovers that she lacks certain necessities, such as a proper pan. "`Cluck,' she said. `I need a pizza pan.'" When she asks her neighbors to help her out, she gets the expected response: "Not I," said the duck donning her swim cap and tube. "Not I," said the dog wearing a box of dog biscuits and a party hat. "Not I," said the hep blue cat playing the saxophone. So off the Little Red Hen goes to the store to buy the things she needs-along with others she surely does not need, such as a guide to sink installation. When she finally gets her pizza made, the three unaccommodating friends change their tune. The plot takes two nifty twists at the end-and this Little Red Hen is not quite as punitive as in the original story. There's a keen sense of the absurd here, and the hilarious cut-paper illustrations are right in tune with the zany plot. This version can be pored over again and again as much can escape the eye the first time around. It is aimed at an older audience than Alan Garner's The Little Red Hen (DK Ink, 1997). Children who appreciate the humor of Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Viking, 1989) will fall under this book's spell as well. Destined to be quite the crowd pleaser.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

In the best refashioning of a classic folktale since Eugene Trivizas's Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig (1993), Sturges hilariously extends and modernizes the original. Little Red Hen can't even begin to satisfy her sudden yen for pizza until she's visited the hardware store (for a pan), the supermarket, and the deli (for mozzarella and a few other ingredients). Does she get any help with her many errands and hard work? "Not I." "Not I." "Not I." Walrod's stunningly inventive paper collages will draw gasps and chortles with every turn of the page; each carton, label, cold cut and anchovy is limned with crisp precision, as are the hen's unhelpful neighbors—a pop-eyed dog, a duck in a swimsuit, and a blue hep cat with a beret and saxophone. Since Hen's "lovely little pizza" comes out of the oven lovely, but not little, she invites her friends in, and after the feast, who will help with the dirty dishes? "I will." "I will." "I will."(Picture book/folklore. 5-7)

Kirkus Reviews