Education Resource Area: Red Riding Hood/Jack and the Beanstalk

A new take on The Little Red Hen -- Cajun style Poor Monsieur Gator is getting old and is moving so slow he can't catch himself a taste of possum or otter, or even a whiff of skunk. Day after day those animals tease and taunt him until, finally, he decides to cook up some gumbo just like Maman used to make. But who will help him boil, catch, sprinkle, and chop? Certainly not rude Mademoiselle Possum, ornery Monsieur Otter, or sassy Madame Skunk. But when the gumbo is ready, they're more than eager to enjoy the result of Gator's hard work and as they run to get a taste - "Slurp! Slip! Plop! Them animals go into the pot." "Mmm-mmm," says Monsieur Gator. "Now, this is gumbo just like Maman used to make." Illustrated with wit and whimsy, this mischievous tale will have young readers laughing out loud.

Juxtaposes the traditional tale of the little red hen whose friends would not help her bake bread with the friends'side of the story.

Once upon a time, Tiny Tilda lived in a small house with her three selfish sisters, Hilda, Gilda, and Wilda. Tilda did all the chores and all the work around the house . . . but great things come to patient, determined hippos, as Tilda discovers with the help of a small pumpkin seed! Hilarious illustrations highlight the laziness of the three sisters as Tilda plants, tends, harvests, and bakes, ending up with the most amazing pumpkin pie any hippo has ever seen! A charming story perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or anytime you feel like pumpkin pie. . . .

Miss Billie Armadilly is hankering to make a pot of chili. Only she'll fix it all by herself because everyone else is too busy to lend a hand. Ketteman's Texas-style spin on The Little Red Hen is joined by the Southwestern warmth of Terry's paintings. Full color.

The little green witch has a problem: her lazy monster friends just won't help her make a horrible pumpkin pie. Not ghost, nor bat, nor gremlin. Barbara McGrath's feisty retelling of "The Little Red Hen," with Martha Alexander's charming illustrations, is the perfect choice for Halloween fun.

!Caramba! Iguana is planning a fiesta. Tortuga the tortoise, Gonejo the rabbit, and Gulebra the snake all want to come. But do they want to help Iguana deliver invitations or stuff the pinata or cook the food? No, no, and no! A lazy trio loses out in this clever update of the story of the Little Red Hen with a Mexican twist. A glossary of Spanish words is included.

Big Brown Rooster is sick of chicken feed. So along with his friends--Turtle, Iguana, and Potbellied Pig--he sets out to make the most magnificent strawberry shortcake in the whole wide world. But there's one problem: none of his friends knows how to cook! The team bravely forges ahead, and with Rooster's help, they learn how to measure flour (not with a ruler) and how to beat an egg (not with a baseball bat). But can they keep Pig from gobbling up all the ingredients? Take an old family recipe, add four funny friends, and mix in some hilarious cooking confusion and you have a picture book treat for children of all ages!

Kids love pizza, and they will love this cleverly illustrated, up-to-date retelling of the traditional Little Red Hen story. In this new version, the intrepid fowl spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and knows it's time to make a lovely little pizza. Children will enjoy following the process of making a pizza as the Little Red Hen--who can get no help from the duck, the dog, or the cat--buys an appropriate pan, kneads the dough, cuts and chops vegetables (and other stuff) for a fabulous topping, and bakes a humongous pizza ("It was lovely, but it wasn't little"). Despite many a "Not I," the duck, the dog, and the cat finally do help out (of course) in ways that will surprise and delight young readers. Amy Walrod's exuberant, witty cut-paper art combines interesting composition with humorous expression and detail to create a world that gives a special accent to the offbeat adaptation.

In this hair-raising spoof of Jack and the Beanstalk, Gary Barwin tells the story of a nosey nose that knows to follow his nose. On the way to market, the nose trades a pair of glasses for a magic mustache. During his adventures, he steals a magic mouth's stash of treasure right out from under its nose and discovers that a nose with a good head on its shoulders can rise to great heights. This hilarious book contains the best of bad puns and clever wordplay, and will have kids and parents laughing out loud.

Could you stay out all night in the dark even if... there were spiders dangling over your head and ... snakes slithering around your feet and ... A BIG, HAIRY, KID-EATING MONSTER on the prowl? Would you just tell them to go away? Oh yeah? In this rollicking tale about the creatures that might lurk in the night, two boys with very big imaginations prove they are so brave, so cool, they could face even ... Wait, did you hear a noise in the bushes?

These classic fairy tales (value books) have been retold in a black ethnic format and are delightfully illustrated by the author. For children of all ages!

Love is stronger than might, stronger than fear. Keep your heart as strong as your sword, and right will triumph. Following this instruction, Jack the lad becomes Jack the strong of heart, embracing his father's silver sword as he sets forth. In Pleasant DeSpain's able hands, and with the help of a maiden named Elinor, an ancient tortoise, and a cat named Octavia, Jack and the Beanstalk becomes a tale of action, fun, and justice. Joe Shlichta's vibrant oil paintings, reminiscent of its medieval origins, convey the challenge, fear, and triumph of this timeless tale.

-- The non-traditional version is told through the eyes of the other characters, stimulating critical thought in young readers. -- Flip-book format physically mimics the "two sides of the story", allowing easy comparisons. -- Full-color artwork is executed in two distinct styles. -- Retold versions are written by popular children's author Dr. Alvin Granowsky.

A boy climbs to the top of a giant beanstalk where he uses his quick wits to outsmart a giant and make his fortune.

Jack lives on a dusty patch of land in the desert and is so poor he has to trade his milk cow for some magic beans. When a giant stalks grows outside his bedroom window, the ruckus begins! Full color.

Poor Jacques and his mother are barely making do in their little houseboat on the bayou, when a mysterious stranger offers Jacques some magical sugarcane cuttings.

The Chang Tang, the vast, remote Tibetan steppe, is home to a unique assemblage of large mammals, including Tibetan antelope, gazelle, argali sheep, wild ass, wild yak, wolves, snow leopards, and others.

Times sure are tough on the ranch, and Waynetta and her ma can use all the luck they can get. But when Waynetta trades their last longhorn for a handful of so-called magic corn, Ma is non too pleased. A fast-paced Texas retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk featuring a girl hero.

Jack trades the family cow for some magic beans which produce a beanstalk that the young boy climbs to the sky and to the land of a hungry giant, in this African-American version of the tale.

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum'un,I smell the blood of an Englishwoman.Be she alive or be she dead,I'll grind her bones to make my bread.Mary Pope Osborne's funny, magical retelling of the favorite tale and Giselle Potter's enchanting illustrations feature a new and inspiring heroine named Kate for today's audience.

After reading the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, the reader is invited to turn the book upside down and read an updated version told from the giant's vantage point.

For a giant, Otto is embarrassingly polite. While all the other giants are studying Cursing, Growling, and Stomping, Otto just wants to play with his pet hen, Clara.

When a scientist's experiment to grow bigger vegetables threatens the whole Earth, the animals find a way to save the day.