A wolf wearing spectacles spins a fantastic tale that the real villain who swallows Nainai, or grandma, in Little Red Riding Hood was really dragon. So begins Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Joy Ang.
In this book, Nainai’s little red house is in the foreground of the Great Wall, snaking around a dragon’s tail. Little Red and her Nainai have a special bond, like many Chinese children and their grandmothers. Nainai sews her a red silk hood for her kung fu performances. In return, Little Red takes care of grandma by bringing her baskets of goodies such as herbs, pungent soup, and rice cakes when she is sick. Her sense of familial piety is strong as she stays on the road.
Prolific and multi-talented Ying Chang Compestine, has written over 20 books including this Eastern version of Little Red Riding Hood — Little Red is a martial arts heroine wearing a lucky red cape, empowered to fight evil.
The wolf is spotted in the shadows at every critical juncture as he narrates. Could it be feigned innocence or is he a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Peeling back the jacket cover, we discover another layer, clues from within. The plot twist goes beyond the end pages. It starts to resemble another book — what is the true story of Little Red Riding Hood by A. Wolf?
Joy Ang’s drawings are digitally sleek, vibrantly full, and have a comic-book-like quality. The Fang Zheng Kai Ti font, originated from the Chinese Standard Kai Ti font, is soft, round, and inviting.
Diligence and research are evident. Dragon comes to life from Chinese mythology. The Chinese kitchen is aptly depicted with radish cakes, bamboo steams, and healing potions. Including thousands of years of traditional practice. Precious ginseng (ren shen), its history and its high value is explained.
Kids who like Andrea Wang’s Nian Monster and The True Story of the three Little Pigs by A. Wolf, will enjoy Compestine’s Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon.
Ann Crewdson is a children’s librarian.
