The Little Red Fort

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/the-little-red-fort-by-brenda-maier/

The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez

2x2 Book

Evaluation of Book

If you like the story of The Little Red Hen, you will love this retelling called The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. In this story, the main character, Ruby, is a little girl with lots of ideas. One day she finds some old boards and decides to build a fort. She asks her brothers to help but they just laugh. When she finishes building her fort they all want to play in it but this time it’s Ruby’s turn to laugh.

This modern spin on the old classic The Little Red Hen celebrates the creativity of young creators. The author uses the main character Ruby, a dynamic little Latino girl in this retelling of a favorite folktale to teach valuable lessons. Through Ruby’s determination she teaches the reader that hard work is rewarded and that girls can accomplish great things.

The illustrations are bright and colorful and accurately depict this modern day family. The pops of red used by the illustrator show the connection to the old folktale The Little Red Hen. Through the illustrations Sanchez shows the reader important themes in the book of teamwork and family support.

Response

This book quickly connects the reader to its story. Children around the world have built some kind of fort and it brings back fond memories. When I first read this book, I was reminded of the tree fort my father had built when I was a child. I read this story to my students in the library and then we built forts out of blankets and pillows and cushions and spent the rest of our time together reading.

I love how Maier gives examples at the end of the story of different types of forts. Every student wanted to share a story about their own forts. She also goes on to tell the reader about the history of the folktale The Little Red Hen as well as how she came about the story idea. These additions to her story are important to share with readers. They spark creativity as well as give practical information about story writing to students who often struggle with story ideas.

Conclusion

Through repetition of key phrases and the predictable story line this book is an excellent read aloud. Readers will quickly make the connection to the old folktale and predict what they think will happen to Ruby and her brothers. It is a delightful book that will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Citation

Maier, B., & Sánchez, S. (2018). The little red fort. New York, NY : Scholastic Press.