Pinkney, Jerry. 2006. The little red hen. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

With a beckoning flick of her wing, the Little Red Hen herself invites readers to come inside for a closer look at a retelling of the classic tale of work and reward. When the Little Red Hen finds grain seeds while out feeding her chicks, she returns to the farm and asks for help from the other farm animals to plant the seeds. With the predictable response from each—“Not I”, the Little Red Hen plants the seeds herself. The story continues with the heroine tending and harvesting the grain, taking the grain to the mill and baking the bread. With each chore, the farm animals lazily answer “Not I” to the hen’s plea for help. When the bread is finally baked and the table is set for dinner with the jar of berry jam from Mr. Miller, the hen returns the favors of the animals by not sharing her dinner with them. As readers delve into the story, the color-coded text naming the animals makes this a perfect choice for responsive reading for readers of all ages. The illustrations are signature Pinkney and are so realistic that readers will truly feel that they have visited the farm and met the characters. The details in each picture are exquisite and will encourage readers to find something new each time the book is opened. This retelling of a classic tale is a wonderful addition to any library.