Pistes d'exploration

Create a glossary of words and expressions. In small groups, use the words while acting out the story.

Using a Venn diagram, compare this story to the original Little Red Riding Hood or to another fractured version of the fairy tale. 

In teams, choose another fairy tale and rewrite it using the author’s alphabet format. Highlight the key word for that letter.

Research the meaning and structure of haiku. Read the haiku that Carmine wrote. Create one of your own.

Discuss the features found in this book. Make an anchor chart to keep track of them (e.g. character,text bubbles, headings, humour, poetry, foreshadowing, etc.).

Discuss the artistic elements: drawing tools, sketches, colour plates. Find alternate names for colours (red = scarlet, carmine, ruby). Coloured pencils or paint chips can be helpful.

Using an alphabet list, try to remember the words that were highlighted in the story. Complete the list while rereading the book. 

Choose and reproduce a page from a familiar book. Imitating the author’s style, add highlights for lesser known words, dialogue, comments, poetry, etc. N.B.: This would work well with ICT.

Little Red Writing, Super Red Riding Hood, TheCat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma

Mots-clés

Picture book , alphabet , art , fractured stories , grandmothers , painting , red (colour) , Red Riding Hood , speech bubbles , wolves

Commentaire descriptif

Omen, pluck, quiver. Clutter, knoll. Vocabulary is key in this version of Little Red Riding Hood, which goes slightly off its rails, bringing in new characters, plot twists and a richly developed protagonist in Carmine. Loose pencil and watercolour illustrations cram full spreads with comic-like insets. Carmine packs up her art supplies to go visit Granny. Carmine’s interest in visual art is reflected in the illustrations, as they deconstruct the artistic process: one spread shows Carmine’s rough drawings paired with an artist’s colour-array. Below this, a haiku for Granny is sketched in pencil. Meanwhile, Rufus the dog sniffs the air for the scent of a wolf. Narration is supplemented by speech bubbles: “Really … Granny makes the best soup … oh, she makes it with bones!” says the wolf to Rufus. Young readers will love the graphic treatment of text; Granny’s cry of “WWWWOOOLLLfffff” jitters across the page. In this version, it’s a happy ending for all. The wolf steals bones for his pups, Granny and Carmine eat delicious soup while admiring the new drawing, and Rufus enjoys a soup bone left behind. This picture book offers much for little ones and sophisticated readers alike.