PPBF: Little Red and the Cat Who Loved Cake

Author/Illustrator: Barbara Lehman
Publisher: HMH, 2021
Age: 3-7
Themes: wordless picture books, fairy tales, cats

Opening: see spread below

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) Little Red has baked a cake with their father, and is on the way to Grandma’s house to make a delivery. But someone has been trailing them ever since they left home . . . someone who really loves cake. This playful retelling of a beloved classic is a visual delight, with references to other fairy tales hidden throughout Lehman’s inviting illustrations.

I picked this book because: the author-illustrator is one of my idols and I would read her shopping list given a chance!! BUT, this is yet another delightful wordless picture book illustrated in the deceptively simplest lines that it takes a few pages before you notice all the wonderful fairytale clues seamlessly woven into the frames. And so much humor! I have read it 4x and I’m still finding something new to make me smile!

Resources/activities: Lehman has included some wonderful search-and-find material in the back matter; I would suggest looking for versions of some of the tales included in the illustrations to read along with this title, and maybe even a Each Peach Pear Plum, by Janet and Allan Ahlberg too! This could also be a fun story to act out!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.