ALA Booklist

Yet another fractured fairy tale, but one that feels fresh in Ernst's capable hands. This Red Riding Hood is a little kid on the prairie, who wears a hooded sweatshirt as she pedals along to Grandma's. When the wolf appears, it's not Grandma he wants but her secret recipe for muffins. But Grandma, out in the field on her tractor, is way smarter than the wolf. She spots him, shakes him, and eventually puts him to work in her muffin shop. It turns out that she's the original Red Riding Hood and used to dealing with big baddies. Ernst cleverly carries out her concept down to the muffin recipe on the endpapers. As always in her books, one of the big attractions is the art, oversize (great for story hours) and gloriously goofy. This would work well with primary-graders, who will relish the send-up. (Reviewed July 1995)

Horn Book

In this cheerful contemporary rendering of the old tale, Little Red Riding Hood wears a hooded sweatshirt and rides her bicycle, while Grandma is a robust farmer who turns the tables on the wolf. Ernst's inventive plot, enjoyable characters, and familiar cartoon-style drawings demonstrate her mastery of the picture-book form.

Kirkus Reviews

Ernst (Squirrel Park, 1993, etc.) delivers again in this wacky midwestern take on a familiar tale. It's a real scorcher the day Little Red Riding Hood decides to climb on her bike with wheat berry muffins and lemonade for her grandmother: ``You know how crabby she gets in the heat,'' Little Red Riding Hood reminds her mother. True to the original, she tries the shortcut—this time through wheat fields edged with sunflowers—and meets up with the wolf, who seems more interested in the muffins than the girl or Grandma. The ending finds him in business with Grandma at the Muffin Palace. Broad horizons, pale skies, and golden flowers combine with perky line drawings; the final pleasing touch is the muffin recipe. (Picture book/folklore. 5-10)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In this witty version of the classic fairy tale, set among America's amber waves of grain, Grandma drives a tractor and doesn't think much of pesky predators,"""" said PW. Ages 5-10. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3--The subtitle tells readers that this is not the traditional Little Red Riding Hood.'' Here, our heroine wears a hooded red jacket while bike riding. Knowing Grandmagets crabby in the heat,'' she decides to take her muffins and lemonade. Along the way, she meets the wolf, who, of course, decides to race Little Red to Grandma's house. Instead of the expected frail, bedridden old woman, he finds a feisty, muffin-baking, tractor-driving grandmother who puts that big bad wolf in his place. Once reformed, he becomes Grandma's baking assistant. (The muffin recipe is included.) Little Red learns her lesson about talking to strangers. Readers will delight in the comical tale and unpredictable plot twists. Ernst's now familiar large colorful line-and-wash paintings featuring cartoon characters are a perfect complement to the playful story. The spirited illustrations and rollicking narrative make this an ideal read-aloud choice.--Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI