Book Review: Dick Bruna’s Little Red Riding Hood

Continuing with my minor obsession for great illustrated versions of “Little Red Riding Hood,” I was quite thrilled to recently acquire this 1960s graphic depiction of the tale by the renowned Dick Bruna. His ability to pare down ideas to bold and clever images is unique and beloved by many. I couldn’t wait to share this one! Here is Dick Bruna’s Little Red Riding Hood, 1966.

In typical Dick Bruna style, the text always sits on the left page and a flat color, shape illustration pairs with it on the right.

This story is what I would consider the basic retelling of the classic tale with Little Red being sent to her Grandmother’s, a wolf intercepting and plotting dinner, and a well-timed woodcutter stumbling upon the aftermath and saving the day.

I love Bruna’s retelling as his style of storytelling distinctly comes out with the text. “But the wolf was not really a nice wolf at all. He only pretended to be one.”

Although the text is occasionally long on each page, the pace moves quickly and the characters are delightful to behold with each page turn.

Dick Bruna is the creator of Miffy, a bunny that is hugely popular in Europe and around the world, as well as the debatable inspiration for the Japanese Hello Kitty brand. Bruna, now in his late eighties, continues to create Miffy books which number more than 118. Always looking for more simpler forms, Bruna’s art is fantastic with its cool, clean graphic design. His typical palette is red, blue, yellow, white and green. His books are instantly recognizable and I believe pure genius.

I’m constantly on the lookout for Bruna books and delight in each one. I’m especially fond of the creator himself as he continues to labor with his craft, loves his wife dearly, and admits to becoming more and more uncertain about his art. And it of course helps my love of him that I now own his version of my favorite classic tale.

“‘Thank you very much, Woodcutter. I shall never listen to a wolf again.’
And she never did.”