As a school librarian I’d love for my kids to read this especially now with our school participating in a national science fair 😉
It’s a different take on Red Riding Hood and I adore the twist 🫶🏼
So Red is off to visit her granny when she meets a wolf along the way , he gives her 2 types of plants so bring the inquisitive person she is she goes straight to her books for information, with this distraction eolf heads off to granny …
Red realises something is amiss and detectives skills are honest in because granny needs to be kept …
This is a cute retelling of the little red riding hood story. Red is off to see her grandma and bring her some flowers. Along the way she meets the wolf and the mischief begins. The wolf helps Red but is he really helping her or does he have a nefarious plan in the works? Young readers will enjoy this quick read. It is easy to follow and understand. The story is fun and exciting. Red learns to look for the truth and figure out a mystery. A little more information and details would make this book better. It was nice to see a strong young character who is smart and inquisitive. This story moves at a fast pace and feels rushed at times. The words and pictures go together well and the pictures are just as important to this story as the narrative is. All in all this is a good way to get children excited and interested in science and nature,
This is such a cute, fun twist to Little Red Riding Hood. It has colorful, imaginative illustrations that flow nicely with the story. I’ve read several books by Lois Wickstrom and it always surprises me how wonderfully she weaves learning in with a fun story. She does this so beautifully that you don’t even realize you are being taught science through a story. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Donyahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDonya2023-04-26 22:03:022023-04-28 13:30:13Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Donya Pedigo
A whimsical spin on a classic tale! Little Red is searching for the perfect flowers to bring to Granny for tea when she runs into the wolf, who says he can help. When she arrives at Granny’s she realizes something is not quite right. With her scientific skills and quick thinking, she comes up with the perfect plan to save the day! I love books my kids can enjoy with a fun storyline and some learning thrown in! What a fun tale that encourages learning!
I enjoyed this book. It is a nice take on the old fairy tale. I enjoyed Red’s research on different flowers and she was trying to find the flower her grandmother loved. The story is cute and fun. I recommend to anyone with children who like to read.
Little Red is a young girls who loves to visit her Grandma, she enjoys learning about wildflowers, her teachings on how to be a detective and receiving the jumpers her grandma knits, so when her Grandma calls inviting her round to be measured up for a new one, Little Red can’t wait, especially when her Grandma asks her to pick some cone glowers for blending a tea on the way.
As she travels to her Grandma’s she encounters a wolf who gives her some advice on which flowers she will need which stops her in her tracks so that she can check the flowers in her identification book, so when she gets to her Grandma’s house, she knows something is wrong, but how can she scientifically prove her assumption with her detective skills?
This is a charming retelling of a popular tale with a modern twist which is a wonderful book for all ages to enjoy.
Lois Wickstrom has long been a favorite of everyone in my household and for good reason. She delivers such fantastic children’s stories that are not only easy to understand, but engaging and educational! One of my kids has ADHD but has a very scientific way of thinking, and my other has a great imagination. They typically read different books from one another, but they always come together to read anything by this author. Little Red Detective is a fun and interesting twist to the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. Little Red gets to use her detective skills to figure out how to keep her and her Grannie safe. I love the illustrations, the flow of the story, and the educational side for the kids. I recommend picking this up and sharing it with the whole family!
Once again, Lois Wickstrom delivers with a fantastic children’s book that is a must read for every child. This is such a fun twist on a classic fairy tale. On her way to travel to granny, she meets the wolf and she needs to take what she knows to overcome the wolf. She uses her detective skills to keep her granny safe. This is another story in the Science Folktale series and it is safe to say that each one is going to be amazing. I definitely recommend this and can’t wait to see what folk tale Lois takes on next.
Love this twist on Little Red Riding Hood. I always appreciate how Wickstrom is able to weave learning and storytelling together into one. This is the tale of Little Red and how she is able to thwart the wolf who eats Granny (don’t worry…Granny survives). Little Red uses scientific methods her Granny has taught her to prove that the wolf isn’t Granny and then she’s able to use the wolf’s own nefarious ways against him to get her Granny back. The illustrations are, as always, beautiful.
Whenever I write a review for this author I feel like I am becoming a broken record because they are always so good. We always sit down to read these books as a family and each and everyone of us enjoys them. The stories are always so well thought out and engaging. They appeal to all ages and help children to think about topics they might usually. But the author makes sure they are fun and light-hearted, the perfect story for young children. This book was just as good as all the others and we have read it multiple times. I am sure we will read it many more before the next one as well.
Little Red, The Detective was a nice story twist of The Little Red Riding Hood. I read this one to my daughter also. I didn’t think she would be interested in it, but surprising enough she was. The details in the story was good. I love how the pictures went along with the story on each page. My daughter likes looking at pictures to guess words that she doesn’t know. I recommend this book for children around 6-8 years old.
I adore Lois Wickstrom and the lessons her stories provide. Her take on Red Riding hood was fun and inspired the curiosity in us all. My daughters loved the scientific aspect and the different flowers. Importance of knowing your surroundings, and things around you were a big lesson wrapped in a fun package!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laurenhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLauren2023-04-24 00:37:242023-04-28 12:59:06Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Lauren West
Loved it! The imagination behind how to capture our little ones. Great story and pictures so vivid. I am a big fan of this author and will recommend to any and all. Love reading these to my niece and other little ones that I interact with.
Loved it! The imagination behind how to capture our little ones. Great story and pictures so vivid. I am a big fan of this author and will recommend to any and all. Love reading these to my niece and other little ones that I interact with.
I have enjoyed this author’s children’s books from the first one I picked up. They are creative, engaging and the children love reading them. This is a story about Red and how a wolf gives her a purple flower that she tries to figure out what it is. She is a great character that you will enjoy for sure. The pictures are interactive and keep your children asking questions. This is a really great children’s book that I highly recommend.
Little Red, the Detective is similar to Red Riding Hood in some ways, but with a little twist. Red (real name Maureen) got her nickname because her grandmother knitted her a sweater that she wore all the time and it happened to be red. Her grandmother called her to come over for a new sweater but asked her to pick her some flowers to make tea along her way. Packing her plant book to help her look for the flowers, cookies for grandma that she and her mom made, and her flinger print kit she sets off to grandma’s house. While looking for the flowers, a wolf comes along and helps her find some purple flowers that smell like vanilla. She stops to look them up in her book and the wolf runs ahead to grandma’s house. The wolf then eats grandma and Red has to use her detective skills to see if Grandma is really Grandma. I don’t want to give it all away, but it’s a super cute book and take on an old classic tale. I thought that my 8 year old would love this book, but I think that younger kids would enjoy it as well. You could easily read this to a 5 year old. This author is great at adding in some “learning” into her books, which I LOVE! For example, in this book you learn a little about finger prints. Check this book out, but also her other ones too! I have a few of them now, and my daughter’s and I love them all so far!!
This book has a science twist to the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. This is one of the books in the science folk tales series written by Lois Wickstrom. Little Red heads over to the forest to get purple cone flowers which her grandmother has asked her to bring for tea. She cannot find the flowers anywhere and suspiciously a friendly wolf comes with up with the exact flowers she was looking for. Red does not trust him, but he gains speed ahead of her and reaches the grandma’s place before her. When Red comes to see the grandma, she had disappeared. Red uses her sleuth skills to uncover the mystery. I usually like Lois Wickstrom’s imagination to introduce science to the kids through different concepts. This twist in the fairy tale is not one of my favorites, but I can see the point the author is trying to convey to the children.
Another great children’s book from Lois Wickstrom. After reading this with my six year old and asking her thoughts she gave an enthusiastic “awesome!” and explained her favorite part. While her favorite part was a silly wolf antic, mine was the subtle education the storyline had to offer. I loved Red’s resourcefulness and keen investigative skills. Once again, I would definitely recommend adding this to your library.
Lois Wickstrom has crafted an excellent book that has a unique twist of science and folktale. In this book, Little Red’s grandmother asks her to bring her some flowers for tea and to come for a visit. On the way to grandmother’s house Little Red stops to search for the correct flower, but will the cunning wolf trick her into gathering the wrong flower? Will this wolf have grandmother for a yummy snack like many other spin-off books of Little Red Riding Hood? Can Little Red outsmart the wolf and have a great visit with her grandmother? To find out, read Little Red, the Detective: a science folktale.
I always enjoy looking for connections to make with student learning for teaching. This book would be great for the beginning of spring during the middle part of a plant unit. Children can create their own plant identification journal, notes can be taken about the plants, and a research project could be completed about a favorite plant. There are so many fun activities that could be completed like flower pressings for the plant identification journal. Another topic could involve All about Using Plants- this would include plants to eat, how plants can help heal people, and other uses for plants.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jamie Burnshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJamie Burns2023-04-18 21:43:442023-04-28 11:25:02Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns
An interesting take on the Red Riding Hood story which incorporates science. The book was illustrated wonderfully, which is great for kids. The story line follows the typical Red Riding Hood tale but includes science. The importance of checking flowers and fingerprinting is shown in the story to help Red along the way. It doesn’t go into excessive detail as the story is for children and I think the author found the right balance to get kids interested, but not overwhelm them. I would recommend this book for those with kids
Little Red is going to visit her grandmother. Grandma asked her to stop to find coneflowers on her way. So Little Red sets off with her identification booklet. Just as in the original story, a wolf meets up with Little Red and plays his tricks. I love reading Lois Wickstrom’s childrens books as she ties in learning with great stories and fabulous illustrations. Highly recommend her books if you have little ones that you are reading to at home or at school!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tanya Wallhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTanya Wall2023-04-18 08:45:002023-04-28 11:21:52Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tanya Wall, April 2023
Maureen is asked by her Grannie to come visit so she can measure her for a new sweater she is knitting for her. Maureen loved the last sweater her Grannie made for her so much that she wore it all the time. She wore the red sweater so much that her friends and family started calling her Little Red.
When Little Red sets off into the woods to visit her Grannie, she stops to look for purple cone flowers to take for her Grannie to use for tea. There are so many similar looking flowers that Little Red is unsure which is the one she is looking for. When a wolf comes along and asks her if he can help Little Red figures that she will accept his offer because he would know better than her. The wolf picks out some cone-shaped purple flowers and hands them to her. As Little Red is taking out her plant identification book to identify the flowers, she realizes the wolf has vanished. She continues on to Grannie’s house, but Grannie has vanished. It is now up to Little Red to solve the mystery of where Grannie went.
I loved the author’s cute twist on the classic version of the story Little Red Riding Hood. Little Red has some sleuthing skills under her belt and uses those to save her Grannie from the big bad wolf. Young kids will learn about science and fingerprinting in this story. This book had a bit of mystery and sense of danger to it with an underlying message about how it is unsafe to talk to strangers. As always, the illustrations were beautiful and really brought the story to life.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tara Johnson Barneshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTara Johnson Barnes2023-04-15 15:50:032023-04-17 13:26:29Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes
An alternative take on Red Riding Hood from an incredible author. This book is full of lovely illustrations and information on plants. Highly recommend.
Little Red’s Grandma asks her to bring some cone flowers to her house to make tea with. On the way she encounters a wolf with a devious plan which she is not aware of until she finds her Grandma looks mysteriously like the wolf.
Different take on Little Red Riding Hood. I liked the idea of how she identifies plants. Entertaining story, I think kids would enjoy.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Emily Heislerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEmily Heisler2023-04-14 10:30:072023-04-17 13:20:40Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Emily H
Little Red, the Detective is the fifth book in the Science Folktales series by Lois Wickstrom. This is an illustrated children’s fantasy story- a reimagining of the classic fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood- where Maureen (aka Red) does a little investigating to find out what happened to her Grandma, with a little adventure along the way. The story has some mystery, investigation, drama, lessons, science, a wily wolf, Red’s missing Grandma, cookies, flowers, knitting, fingerprinting, and animal control- this also has a bit of a ‘darker’ tone than some of Ms. Wickstrom’s other children’s books. Again, this is one of her books where the internal illustrations are not of the same quality or style of the cover image- as the internal illustrations are a little more naïve, simplistic, bland, and somewhat boring…. which was a little bit of a letdown. They just don’t grab and hold your attention like the cover image does, so I feel like they let the story down. I think in a more whimsical style story those types of illustrations might work- but they missed the mark here, especially considering the ‘darker’ tone of the story too. The Science Folktales Series contains (so far): -Chicken Little (Book #1) -Huff…Puff…Grind! The Three Little Pigs Get Smart (Book #2) -Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! The Real Magic of the Beans (Book #3) -Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Book #4) -Little Red, the Detective (Book #5) -Just One More Egg (Book #6) -The Dwarves’ Dilemma (Book #7) -Saving the Gingerbread House (Book #8)
As you can see, there’s lots to explore in this series- plenty of adventures to take, and things to learn along the way.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2023-04-13 22:54:322023-04-17 11:30:56Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales #5) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Angela Hayes
Little Red gets a call from her Grandma to come for a visit. Grandma is making a new sweater and needs to make sure it’s going to fit properly. Grandma requests that Little Red pick up a certain flower to bring to her for making tea. Little Red has a book that will help her identify the proper flower. Along the way to Grandma’s, Little Red comes across a wolf who tricks her with some flowers. These flowers are not in Little Red’s book so she keeps looking while the wolf pays Grandma a visit.
I found this book to be cute. I even laughed out loud at one point. This book might not be for super young readers though as they may find the wolf too scary. I like how the focus is on using a book to identify different types of flowers. Grandma also uses those flowers to make tea. This is a great book for encouraging nature walks, flower identification, and using natural resources in ways that might not have been thought of otherwise.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Julie Johnsonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJulie Johnson2023-04-13 18:01:142023-04-17 13:16:50Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Julie Johnson
I enjoyed reading this book to my preschoolers. My little 3 year old actually loves it and has been asking me to read it a few times already. This book is about Maureen ( little Red ) setting off to grandma’s house. She encounters a wolf who tries to delay her from visiting grandma but thanks to her flower identification book it does delay her but she’s able to save the day.
Beautiful illustrations enhance, rather than distract, from the story. The story length is perfect for little ears, and is different enough to keep kids interested in from the original tale.
As an adult, I enjoyed the slight twists in the tale the author chose (picking flowers, turning her into a detective, and how Little Red gets granny back). As an educator, I liked the inclusion of things like the flower identification guide and fingerprinting identification guide to turn into lessons easily that coincide with the story. I loved the ending as well, and I could see kids writing a tale about the gift she gets next and what adventure Little Red has on her next trip to her grandmothers.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Crainhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Crain2023-04-12 20:16:092023-04-17 13:04:44Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jennifer Crain
Little Red is a fun twist on the classic. Lois Wickstrom does her very best. Great illustrations in the book make it a great read. Lois teaches the kids how to tell a person from another by fingerprints. This knowledge is something most kids don’t learn for years. Great story.
Little Red, The Detective is a retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood” but with a detective twist. A girl named Maureen who everyone calls red because of her red sweater she loves to wear (even though her hair is red) is asked to go see her Grandma. Her Grandma is knitting her a new sweater and needs to measure her. Grandma asks her to grab a special flower for tea on her way over. So as Red is walking in the woods she is looking for this flower; she uses her detective book to look at the picture to compare. While walking she can’t seem to find the flower, but all of a sudden a friendly wolf approaches with a bunch of flowers claiming they are the right ones. Red doesn’t believe him, but it gives him time to get to Grandma’s to eat her before Red gets there. She finally finds the right flower and heads to Grandma’s. When she gets there she realizes something is wrong but uses her detective skills to realize that the wolf is there and not Grandma. Red makes a special tea that makes him spit Grandma out. Then they drink tea and take Red’s measurements for her new sweater. I don’t really know what to say about the book. This author produces cute kid’s stories, but I also find them odd. The story always tends to move fast and skip detail so it always just seems rushed to me. Then the ending just seems anti-climatic and strange.
Once again I have read another great teaching book by this author. I really wish my children were young enough to read these. This series is a great learning tool for kids. I cannot reccomend this series enough. I really found that the author’s use of a well known fairy tale and the way in which she has enhanced it was a great way to engage kids and help them to get interested in learning.
The story although a classic is refreshed in this unique telling. I really would get this book for a child between 5 and 9. It really draws the attention of the reader and shows them a fresh way to look at the subject. I will definitely refer this series to friends with kids.
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