"Lon Po Po"
Written and illustrated by Ed Young
Published by Philomel Books
Traditional literature
"Lon Po Po" is not your typical telling of the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood. This story is similar to the classic fairytales, but definitely has unique differences. The story takes place in China a long time ago. This old Chinese folktale portrays three brave little girls that are being targeted by a wolf. Unlike the classic telling, the girls use their brains to trick the wolf and escape being his next meal. This story is filled with drama and may even seem a little scary for younger children. I love this book though, because it is so different from the Little Red Riding Hood story that everyone knows. Also there is some major girl power in this story, which is always a positive thing to see in children's literature.
Ed Young's illustrations in this book are so beautiful but haunting at the same time. The illustrations are very dark and ominous. It is like the illustrator is using the dark shadows to portray how evil of a spirit the wolf actually is. The illustrations seemed blurry or oily, which really give it an old, folktale feel.
I think this book would be great in a comprehension lesson in 4th-6th grades. The children could read the classic tale and this story and compare the two. The students could have a variety of discussions about the different characteristics you see in each story.
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