The Little Red Hen by Jerry Pinkney will be released in May 2006.  Pinkney takes the classic story of the little red hen and keeps its timeless feel.  Pinkney’s art transforms the story, as his art always does, into something even more marvelous.  I enjoy his slight changing of the animals who refuse to work so that the hen has an exact reason to pressure each animal to do a specific job.  Still they refuse, of course.  The pictures will project well to a group of children, allowing librarians, parents and teachers to share this classic tale.  This is a lovely addition to the stable of Little Red Hen books out there.  Purchase it if you need a new one, don’t already have a copy, or need a version that will work well with a group.