Fairy Tale Imaginings

Forget everything you ever thought you knew about fairy tales, and "Little Red Riding Hood." In this book, Catherine Orenstein explores the history of the fairy tale, from the French court, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Anderson, the Brothers Grimm, Bruno Bettelheim, Italo Calvino, Gwen Strauss, and Anne Sexton. As she explains, "The endeavor of this book is to draw Little Red Riding Hood forth from her literary crypt, to unwrap the protective vellum that mummifies her in the rare book section of the library."

In this survey of literature, Orenstein inspects the derivations of Little Red Riding Hood, who has been depicted as a seductress, a victim, a femme fatale, and a she-wolf in various works. Changes in society have dramatically affected the evolutions of the tale, but the image of Little Red Riding Hood has also been adapted to nearly every possible commercial pursuit. What is it about this red-clad character that still ensures enticement (and controversy)--even after so much time has passed. Read the complete review. Then, join our discussion about Adults Reading Children's Literature.