Lon Po Po

Young, Ed. (1989). Lon Po Po. New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.

Brief Annotation: Lon Po Po is a version of Red-Riding Hood from China. It’s about a woman who leaves her three children alone while she goes and visits her grandmother for her birthday. The three children were in their house when there was a knock on their door. The children were cautious about opening the door, in which they should be, for the Wolf has come to eat them. The children ask questions and the Wolf pretends to be their grandmother (Po Po) so they let him in. Will the children be able to protect themselves from wolf?

Genre: Folktale

Grade Level: 2-4

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy a twist to a story that is common to them. Readers who like to see how a story can change from culture to culture.

Response/Rating (1-4): 3. The illustrations make this version of the story very dark. He uses color to put a lot of drama into the story, but some readers may be afraid to read it.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Can you tell me what happens in the story Red Riding Hood in the version that you know?