The Little Red Elf

Description

Who will help the little red elf prepare for Christmas? This clever retelling of "The Little Red Hen" features a little red elf and her lazy friends: the hare, the penguin, and the reindeer. Everyone knows elves are industrious and always helping others. But when the Little Red Elf finds some pinecones, she asks for some help with planting them, watering them, and decorating the tree that grows from them. Not surprisingly, her friends decline. It isn't difficult for the Little Red Elf to stay positive, but on Christmas Day, after she's cleaned all by herself and prepared treats all by herself, who will help her open all the presents under the beautiful tree? Adorable illustrations by Rosalinde Bonnet are an abundance of cute and will put readers young and old in the proper holiday spirit.

Who will help the little red elf prepare for Christmas? This clever retelling of "The Little Red Hen" features a little red elf and her lazy friends- the hare, the penguin, and the reindeer. When the cheerful elf can't get help planting the pinecones or decorating the Christmas tree, she knows just how to reward her friends.

The little red elf is used to doing everything herself while her friends the reindeer, the penguin, and the hare laze around the workshop. It comes as no surprise that her cheerful requests for help preparing for Christmas are quickly dismissed. "'Who will help me put out milk and cookies?' 'Not I, ' said the reindeer. 'Why bother saying yes now?' said the penguin. 'I'm allergic, ' said the hare." On Christmas morning, however, everyone is more than eager to assist in opening presents. Bonnet's more-than-helpful illustrations give an extra-festive boost to McGrath's already spirited version of a familiar tale. Even at their cheekiest, the reindeer, penguin, and hare look friendly and cuddly. The little red elf's "most positive of attitudes" shines through in the text and art, but the pictures also hint that, like her predecessor, she's no chump. Speaking of whom, the little red hen herself makes a cameo appearance in the poetically just ending. --The Horn Book