The Little Red Hen (Phyllis Fogelman Books) [Hardcover]

Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 2006 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Phyllis Fogelman Books

"Oh joy of joys!" That’s the last line of The Little Red Hen, and it is also the perfect expression of how the book makes readers feel. The beloved story of the hardworking hen and her lazy neighbors, with its Golden Rule message and its sassy finale, is just as relevant and satisfying as ever. And who better to enliven it than the masterful Jerry Pinkney, who, through his warm, winsome, and slyly funny depiction, has created a definitive interpretation of the tale. Cheerful and classically beautiful, this is the ideal edition for every child’s library.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4 Important lessons of work ethics, initiative, and natural consequence are delivered in the latest addition to what might be considered the Pinkney classic bookshelf a lush, light-filled rendition of a folktale staple. The colorful, feather-full frontispiece features a full-page portrait of the heroine herself, wordlessly inviting children to turn the page with a cunningly crooked wing. You know the story; in this version, the jaunty, straw-hat-wearing Red Hen pops against golden, sun-bleached, full-bleed backgrounds. Her stunning farmyard neighbors dwarf her, emphasizing her stature (both physical and social). But a single mom's got to do what she's got to do to put bread on the table, and so she asks for assistance. She's a smart old bird: she flatters each animal as she appeals to him to use his particular skill (the dog is a fine digger; the rat, a champion chopper; the goat would be great at pulling; and the pig, well, at pigging) to help. Still, she's met with that familiar refrain Not I. There's a lot of heart in the details here: Pinkney puts in a self-portrait appearance as hard-working Mr. Miller, and the passage of time is subtly marked by the growth of the hen's five chicks, who begin as balls of yellow fluff and are markedly bigger by story's end. The animal's names appear in color-coded font (red for the hen, brown for the dog, etc.), making it extra-easy even for pre-readers to chime in, and the glorious, generous paintings are a real gift. Oh joy of joys! Kathy Krasniewicz, Perrot Library, Old Greenwich, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. The familiar story of the hen unable to get help receives the full Pinkney visual treatment here: meticulously crafted watercolors depicting a cast of unique characters. However, unlike Pinkney's Caldecott Honor Book, Noah's Ark (2002), this story doesn't offer much opportunity for action scenes. Consequently, the spreads are a bit static, focusing on the rat, the goat, the pig, and the dog who refuse to help Hen make the bread but are perfectly willing to share the finished product. The hen appears on the cover, red as an autumn leaf and decked out in a shawl and a hat, but the other animals are truer to their mangy, dirty natures (you can almost smell the goat). The miller who grinds the flour and gives the hen some jam is a nice touch; in fact, he looks a lot like Pinkney. Perfect for reading aloud, this picture book will be a solid addition to the folklore shelves. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; First Edition edition (May 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803729359
• ISBN-13: 978-0803729353
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,308 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars give this to your teenager!, March 8, 2007

By 

WDH (Bakersfield) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Little Red Hen (Phyllis Fogelman Books) (Hardcover)

Everyone said this is a childs book. I believe its a teenager book. Teenagers think they should get everything and do nothing. After an incident with one of my teenagers I got this book and the understanding of how life works in the book made sense to my teenager.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Little Red Hen, July 10, 2006

By 

Myrna R. Cruse - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Little Red Hen (Phyllis Fogelman Books) (Hardcover)

Wonderful illustrations to an old story with a new twist ending!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pinkney's Little Red Hen is the best!, September 29, 2007

By 

J. M. Baker "Maestra12353" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Little Red Hen (Phyllis Fogelman Books) (Hardcover)

The illustrations in this version of the classic children's story are fabulous! The story takes on even more dimensions without losing it's fun and sometimes predictable text that makes it fun for all teachers and parents to share with children.