Little Red Riding Hood Takes Charge

After Happily Ever After

by Tony Bradman

What really does happen at the end of the fairytale? Do they really live happily ever after? Little Red Riding Hood's Granny is feeling lonely - can our heroine find a nice man for her to protect her from the wolf? Perhaps sending Granny speed dating will help.

Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Juvenile, Childrens, Middle Grade

46 pages, Hardcover

First published February 16, 2006

About the author

TONY BRADMAN graduated from Cambridge University and worked in journalism for many years as an editor and reviewer. Now a full-time author, he has produced several successful anthologies for young readers for Random House Children's Books, including three focusing exclusively on football: the FOOTBALL FEVER titles.

Reviews

[Ch_beverlyatwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: After Happily Ever After Red Riding Hood Takes Charge
Author: Tony Bradman
Illustrator:Sarah Warburton
Publisher:Stone Arch Books
Year originally published: 2006
Translator (if applicable):
Approximate Interest Level/Reading Level: 620 L Lexile count
Format (picture book, audio book, book read online, chapter book/novel, graphic novel): Picture book for older children grades 3-4.
Rating system:****
Brief summary: Little Red riding Hood is worried about her Granny. Granny’s recovered from her scare with the Big Bad Wolf, but she’s lonely. Thankfully Little Red Riding Hood is on the case! She is read to find her Granny some new hobbies and some new friends. I would use this book after reading some traditional versions of the Red Riding Hood tale and have students compare them. I think that kids would like this version because it is out of the ordinary and so up to date.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this series by exploring the work of illustrator Sarah Warburton; I adored "Mavis the Bravest"

I am a fan of alternate fairytales, and Bradman brilliantly looks at 'but what next? What happended after ...." These are easy readers, and fun.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how red riding hood and grandma try to deal with the mental trauma of being attacked by the big bad wolf. Very interesting and yet still fun.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun

Something cute, fun and easy for kids to read to themselves! Thanks to our library for letting us try this digital copy!

[L12_sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Riding Hood Takes Charge is part of Tony Bradman's After Happily Ever After series, which tell stories about what happened after our favorite fairy tales ended. With the Big, Bad Wolf vanquished (thanks to Mr. Woodcutter's help), Little Red Riding Hood is now safe when she visits her grandmother every week. But, when she realizes that her grandmother seems lonely, Little Red vows to make her grandmother feel better. She tries spending more time with her, but that just causes Little Red to be late to all of her after school activities, so that doesn't work. Every day on the way to her grandmother's, Little Red runs into Mr. Woodcutter and comes up with a new plan to help her granny. But, when Granny dislikes the Forest Belles women's club, and hates the Forest Glen speed dating that Little Red signs her up for, Little Red begins to wonder what else she can do...

Red Riding Hood Takes Charge is a short chapter book with black and white ink drawings on every page that put the story in a modern context (at one point, Little Red is late for swim practice and for Brownies!). Although Little Red's heart is in the right place, she does not listen to her grandmother or Mr. Woodcutter, who both give her hints that they would like to spend time together. Thus, the book argues that sometimes we need to be better listeners when we are trying to help others.

The book has a glossary of harder vocabulary words (like "isolated," "gossip" and "gloom") complete with definitions and pronunciation help in the back, and also includes sample discussion questions and writing prompts that could be of use to educators. The book is aimed at students in grades 2-5, but is best suited for students in grades 2-3 due to its content.

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Riding Hood notices that her grandmother doesn't seem as happy as she used to be. So she sets on a mission to find some new friends for her grandmother. Only, she seems to keep missing how interested the Woodcutter is in her grandmother. After a few different tries, Red Riding Hood realizes things are not going right at all. Finally, it dawns on her that Mr. Woodcutter would be the perfect person to be with her grandmother.

I love the strong girl characters in these books. They're smart, funny, and very much go-getters. The illustrations are cute and it would be a great read for younger or struggling readers. Again, I recommend this series - After Happily Ever After - to any girls who love fairy tales.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our oldest brought this book home from her elementary school library. It's a fun story about what happens after the end of the fairy tales. After the happy ending of the fairy tale, Red is worried about her grandmother, being lonely and isolated. She comes up with a bunch of different plans, but misses the most obvious one. The narrative is entertaining and the black and white illustrations complement the story nicely.

We enjoyed reading this story together and our oldest assures us that there are more of the books in the After Happily Ever After series at her elementary school library, so she is planning to borrow more.

[Joella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun-easy series with lots of pictures. Basically it takes places AFTER the Happily Ever After. So in this book Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother have already had the run-in with the wolf. Now Granny is lonely and Red has trouble figuring out how to help her (and doesn't get the hint that the Woodcutter might be interested in striking up a friendship). Fun easy read, but not one that you will remember for years on end.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot is weak and based on an alternate version of the original Red Riding Hood which may be problematic for young readers. I hope the whole series isn't set up the same way.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids and I enjoyed this one as well as the others!

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see why 2nd grade readers will love these easy to read fractured fairy tales. They are quick and clever. Too bad for CCBA they are British.

[Amanda Blau]

Recommend to Magic Tree House readers. Good first chapter book.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for early elementary.

[Kaylin and Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

7 years old

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what happened to Red Riding Hood, her Granny and the Woodcutter after the whole wolf incident? Well this book answers that question. The granny is very lonely and Red Riding Hood can't keep up with trying to entertain her and keep her company. It's not that she doesn't want to go and see her gran, it's just that she ends up being late for all her after school activities and it's still not a good enough plan to keep the gran company. Red Riding Hood uses the Forest Web to first get her gran to join the Forest Belles group, which is a group for old people to keep each other company. The gran does not enjoy it as the other grannies just gossip and talk rubbish. Red Riding Hood then uses the Forest Web to join a speed dating service. The gran does not enjoy this service at all. In the end, Red Riding Hood realises that the answer to the problem was right under her nose the whole time - the woodcutter. She invites him to tea with the gran, they hit it off and a month later get married. Now everyone lives happily ever after.