Description
Review
"A Hanukkah culinary delight."―Kirkus Reviews
"Koster and Eastland's spoof takes several twists and turns...Eastland’s digital drawings, breezy and punctuated with lots of red, are a stylish counterpoint to the poker-faced text."―Publishers Weekly
"A welcome holiday offering."―School Library Journal
"Whimsical, humorous illustrations."―The Association of Jewish Libraries
"The cartoony illustrations and lighthearted text incorporate Hanukkah details and motifs."―The Horn Book
Product Description
A fun new spin on the classic fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood featuring Jewish tradition and food.
It was a chilly winter in the northern woods, but Ruthie did not mind. Dressed in her favorite puffy red coat, she was going to spend Hanukkah with her grandmother, who lived on the other side of the forest. Ruthie was bringing sour cream and applesauce to go along with the yummy latkes. She carefully packed her basket and kissed her mother good-bye. Snow began to fall. Soon Ruthie was lost in a thicket, and she was not alone. Someone was hiding behind the tree, and when he jumped out, Ruthie found herself face to face with a wolf. Ruthie will have to convince the wolf that eating latkes will be tastier than eating her!
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 2—An amusing twist on "Little Red Riding Hood" with a bit of "The Chanukah Guest" thrown in. Little Red Ruthie is off to her grandmother's house to make latkes when she runs into a hungry wolf. Clever Ruthie convinces him not to eat her because she'll be much more filling after Hanukkah. "When the holiday is over, I am sure to be as round as a pancake myself…why not eat me then?" The wolf is momentarily deterred, but not for long. He winds up at Bubbe (grandmother) Basha's house where Ruthie prepares him plate after plate of latkes while relating the Hanukkah tale. Finally, the wolf is "full up to his eyeballs and very groggy, " and as he heads for the door, Bubbe Basha hands him a jelly donut, the final blow to his sore tummy. Humorous illustrations invigorate the predictable plot, as does the lively language. VERDICT A welcome holiday offering for most collections.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library
About the Author
Gloria Koster is an elementary school librarian. It is there where she gets her ideas for her stories. She lives in New York with her family.
Sue Eastland is a British designer, illustrator, and author. She studied graphic design at college and later earned a masters degree in spatial design at Huddersfield University. She currently lives and works in the North of England.