Module 3: The Little Red Hen

Pinkney, Jerry. 2006. The Little Red Hen. Illus. by the author. Dial Books for Young Readers: New York. ISBN 0-8037-2935-9.

During her morning meal, Little Red Hen finds some interesting seeds. She decides to cultivate the seeds. During the cultivation process, she seeks the assistance of her friends short brown dog, tall black goat, round pink pig, and thin gray rat. Each friend is disinterested in assisting the busy mother hen, but is available to help her reap the spoils of her work. Little Red Hen sternly turns them away and shares the bread with her chicks. This classic tale of the benefit of hard work and the consequence of laziness is enriched by the vibrant watercolors and detailed illustrations. They fill the pages and envelope the readers’ imaginations. The names of each character are highlighted by the color associated with the animal’s name, for example round pink pig is printed in pink type. Young readers will find this feature reassuring and helpful. This wonderfully remastered tale uses color and beauty to revitalize a simple story of the reward.