The Little Red Elf

Description

This clever retelling of "The Little Red Hen" features a busy little red elf and her lazy friends: the hare, the penguin, and the reindeer. The elf cleans up and organizes Santa's workshop all by herself, but when she asks for help planting a pinecone, nobody wants to pitch in! So she plants it herself, and waters it herself, and brings the Christmas tree indoors herself, and decorates it all by herself. She even puts out the milk and cookies for Santa herself. When the morning comes and it's time to open presents, the elf knows just how to reward her friends. A classic tale of hard work and just desserts, perfect for the holiday season.

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