Through the Woods to Bubbe's Cottage: Little Red Ruthie--A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster

Little Ruthie is merry. It's cold and snowy outside, but wearing her poofy red parka with its cozy hood, she sets out through the woods to her Bubbe's house, thinking warm thoughts and carrying a basket with sour cream and applesauce for the special latkes she and her grandmother always make during Hanukkah.

All is merry and bright as Little Red Ruthie skips through the forest until, as it starts snowing heavily, she makes a wrong turn on the path.

RUTHIE FINDS HERSELF FACE TO FACE WITH A WOLF!

"LITTLE GIRL, I'M GOING TO EAT YOU UP!" SAID THE WOLF.

BUT IT WAS HANUKKAH. RUTHIE WANTED TO BE AS BRAVE AS THE MACCABEES!

Ruthie knows she must also be clever, so she opens her coat and shows the wolf how skinny she is, but promises that after she eats lots of latkes for the next eight days, she'll make a much bigger meal.

"I'LL BE AS ROUND AS A PANCAKE THEN!"

The wolf agrees to the deal, but stealthily takes a shortcut to Bubbe's cottage. On the door there is a message from Bubbe' for Ruthie, saying she is shopping for a Hanukkah treat and will be back shortly. The wolf tries to door and, finding it unlocked, goes inside to wait for both of them to return, amusing himself while he waits by trying on Bubbe's best dresses. But Ruthie arrives before Bubbe and has to be both brave and clever. She offers to make the wolf some fine latkes as hors d'oeuvres before the feast. The wolf says he's too hungry to wait for her to fry the latkes in oil.

"SKIP THE FRYING!" HE GROWLS.

But Ruthie insists on telling the story about why the oil is the most important part of Hanukkah, and the ravenous wolf eats latkes as fast as little Ruthie can fry them up. In fact, by the time Bubbe returns, the wolf is no longer hungry at all.

In fact, he's feeling quite BARFY!

Notice: No little girls or innocent grandmothers are harmed in Gloria Koster's jolly holiday parody of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale (Albert Whitman).

This lighthearted spoof of the popular Red Riding Hood trope lends itself well to the story of Hanukkah and the reason latkes are the festive food for this holiday. Jolly illustrations by Sue Eastland extend the droll text with great good humor in which even the wolf is funny. For sophisticated primary students who know their December celebrations, share this one with Eric Kimmel's and Trina Schart Hyman's Caldecott-winning Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins: 25th Anniversary Edition. And for more tasty Hanukkah stories for the season, here's a virtual platter from which you can help yourself to all you want here.