ALA Booklist (Fri May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Tortuga the turtle returns, once again in a Spanish-laced retelling of a fairy tale, this time "Little Red Riding Hood." Tortuga's pals uana, Snake, and Rabbit nt to come with him and his basket of food to Grandma's house, but he thinks they're only after the grub. When Tortuga runs into Coyote, however, he's glad his friends have followed. A lively text sprinkled with Spanish words (a glossary smartly appears at the beginning) and desert-colored artwork full of funny moments make this a winner.

Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Tortuga carries "ensalada, tamales, and flan" to his abuela, while his three salivating amigos follow. When gullible Tortuga comes upon Coyote disguised as the tortoise's grandmother ("The bigger my dientes, the better to EAT you with"), the amigos save the day. Long's creatures, with their huge, egg-shaped eyes, are endearingly expressive, a fine complement to a lively tale. Glos.

School Library Journal (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2009)

K-Gr 2 A revamped version of "Little Red Riding Hood." As Tortuga (turtle) slowly makes his way to his abuela's house, his friends Conejo (rabbit), Culebra (snake), and Iguana follow behind, hoping to get a taste of the goodies in the basket. When he encounters Coyote, foolish Tortuga doesn't see any harm in talking to him despite his decidedly hungry appearance. Upon his arrival at his abuela's , Tortuga notices what big orejas, ojos , and dientes she has. When discovered, Coyote wastes no time in locking him in a closet with his grandmother. As the water boils for Tortuga soup, the three friends make a horrific sound outside using their feet, tail, and rattle. Convinced that monsters are after him, Coyote runs into the desert, and grateful Tortuga shares the supper he has brought with his amigos . This fun tale has a nice combination of Spanish and English words. Meaning is usually clear from context, but a helpful glossary is included. Long uses a lot of yellow, orange, and green, giving his illustrations an appropriately Southwestern look. The amigos are all amusingly drawn with big eyes and great expressions. The depiction of Coyote is quite scary with his pointed yellow teeth and hungry eyes. This fresh look on an old classic is sure to be a hit with children. Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH