A new exhibit at the Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books explores the story of this most famous of fairy tale heroines, and her counterpart, The Wolf, in books, advertisements, toys, games and original illustrations, dating from 1721 to 2017.
View pop-ups, miniatures, shaped books, paper dolls, puzzles, household items and more, and don’t forget to take our Little Red Riding Hood quiz!
It's free and all are welcome!
Charles Perrault’s "Little Red Riding Hood"
The earliest-known literary version of Little Red Riding Hood was published as “Le Petit Chaperon Rouge” in Charles Perrault’s 1697 Histoires ou Contes du temps passé (Stories, or, Tales of Past Times). In Perrault’s tale, the girl is simply eaten—there is no happy ending. In a moral attached to the story, Perrault warns children to beware of “wolves” who may act in a pleasing fashion, yet hide their true designs.
The Brothers Grimm’s “Little Red Cap”
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s “Rotkãppchen” (“Little Red Cap”) appeared in 1812 in the first volume of their Kinder- und Hausmãrchen (Children’s and Household Tales). In their story, the girl and her grandmother are rescued by a huntsman. The Grimms emphasize the consequences of disobedience — at story’s end Little Red Riding Hood promises never to stray from the path again when her mother has forbidden it.
Later versions of the tale blend storylines from Perrault and Grimm.
Red Riding Hood-themed advertising and ephemera
“Fractured” fairy tales
Modern adaptations of “Little Red Riding Hood” are known for their inventiveness and humour. The following books, on display at the Osborne Collection, are also available for loan through Toronto Public Library branches.
Into the Forest. A little boy takes a walk in the forest to visit his grandmother. He finds a red coat and puts it on. Who, or what, waits at his destination?
Little Red. Little Red sees through the wolf’s disguise and comes up with a plan to save herself.
The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma. Cat tries to read dog the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but dog keeps interrupting.
Pretty Salma. In a village in Ghana, Mr. Dog tricks Salma and attempts to eat her grandmother, until Salma outwits him.
Little Red Writing. Little Red is a student pencil who makes her way to Principal Granny’s office where she encounters a fearsome pencil sharpener known as the “Wolf 3000.”
The Girl in Red. This retelling for older readers has two endings — in the first, the leather-clad predator makes a successful getaway on his motorcycle. In the second, the SWAT team snares the villain, leaving the girl and grandmother unharmed.
Lon Po Po or “Grandmother Wolf”
Lon Po Po. Ed Young retells a Chinese folktale in which three little girls rescue themselves from a ravenous wolf.
The “Big Bad Wolf”
The “Big Bad Wolf” is a stereotyped villain that appears in many traditional children’s tales (The Three Little Pigs, The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids and The Boy Who Cried Wolf to name a few), yet in real life, wolves are extinct or endangered in many places due to overhunting and habitat loss.
Positive portrayals of wolves
Modern non-fiction books emphasize the important role of wolves in nature and in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Also, many Indigenous tales and legends present the wolf as noble, brave and a friend to humankind.
Wolf Island. The introduction of a family of wolves restores the balance of nature on a northern island. View original art from this book in the Osborne Collection exhibit.
The Wolves Return. Godkin’s picture book tells of the successful reintroduction of 25 Canadian wolves into Yellowstone Park in 1995-1996.
Little Water and the Gift of the Animals. In this Seneca legend by C.J. Taylor, Wolf helps Little Water learn the secrets of the animals to heal his people.
Wolf Tales: Native American Children's Stories. This collection features legends from the Dakota Sioux, Cherokee and other indigenous tribes.
