Artell, Mike, and Jim Harris. 2001. Petite Rouge: a Cajun Red Riding Hood. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0803725140.

Plot summary: Petite Rouge lives near the swamp with her mother, who sends the young duck to her ailing Grand-mere with a basket of gumbo and boudin.  As she heads out across the swamp, she comes across a hungry and persistent alligator who decides to trick Petite Rouge by posing as her Grand-mere.  The young duck and her orange cat TeJean inspect the imposter and turn the tables by feeding the gator the boudin he craved, which causes him to jump back to the swamp to cool his burning mouth.

Critical Analysis:
The Cajun spin on this folk-tale adds spice and flavor, but it can be difficult to read.  The style of writing is heavily saturated with traditional Louisiana Cajun jargon, and those not familiar with the language style might have a hard time following the story.  The author provides a glossary and a brief history of Cajun people at the beginning of the book, but the story begs to be read by someone who can easily identify with the culture.

The illustrations by Jim Harris are detailed and rich, and add depth to an otherwise difficult interpretation of a classic folk-tale.

Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal: “A wonderful, sly, and humorous story told in rhyme and illustrated with verve.” – Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Publisher’s Weekly: “Even those who don’t favor the dialect will laugh at Harris’s (Ten Little Dinosaurs) abundantly witty watercolor and pencil illustrations.” – Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.