The Great Gran Plan by Elli Woollard, illustrated by Steven Lenton (9781250186034)

Reviewed June 18, 2019.

This fractured fairy tale mixes the story of the Three Little Pigs together with Little Red Riding Hood into one wild caper. When the wolf is unable to blow down the house of bricks, the pig finds the wolf’s next plot: to gobble down Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother! So pig sets off to save her. But first, he must gather supplies. He shops for a superhero cape, but all they have is a shawl. He puts that on and tries to find binoculars, but all they have are red eyeglasses on a chain. He wears those with the shawl and finds a lack of rope, which he substitutes yarn for. So when he heads into the woods to save Granny, he looks rather like a grandmother himself!

Woollard has managed to create a rhyming picture book that avoids being too sing-songy or stilted. Instead she merrily plays with rhymes both internal and at the ends of lines, creating a jaunty feel that reads aloud beautifully. Her fractured tale is filled with plenty of action and readers will realize that pig is starting to look like a grandmother long before he does in the book. That adds to the merriment factor immensely. Add in the anything-but-frail Granny and this book is a lot of fun.

Lenton’s illustrations are bright and bold. Filled with touches like the pig-shaped vehicle that pig drives, the three bears selling items in three different sizes, and even a store called “Rope-unzel’s.” This is a world filled with other stories that are hinted at in the illustrations and are entirely delightful.

A fun fractured fairy tale with one big bad wolf, who is sure to lose. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Henry Holt & Co.