Mahogany

First let me say, Mahogany knows about wolves, and she is smart enough to know that wolves are up to no good, so she doesn’t tell the wolf she meets in the woods where her grandmother lives. And she hides from the fox, rather than let him eat her.

And her grandmother is no dummy either, and knows what the wolf is trying to pull, and between the both of them they win the day.

I love this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, because Mahogany know what she should do, and does it. Of course, if she hadn’t been listening to her tunes, she might not have gotten lost in the woods, but that’s beside the point.

Fun illustrations. Good quick story. I think this will be a hit.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 19th of March 2024.

I loved
That this book stayed true to the story and made it a new modern story all at the same time. The illustrations were amazing as well. Great addition to a collection.

This is the cutest book about Little Red Riding Hood. Yes, the storyline changes somewhat, but the big picture items are there. You will love the little girl and the grandma. The illustrations are so pretty!!!

This fun spin on a classic fairy tale was full of new details. Mahogany loves to sew and is incredibly smart. Even when she may not be aware of her surroundings, she thinks quickly on her feet and fools the wolf several times. I love how this story highlighted the creativity and tenacity of the main character instead of using her as a pawn to show weakness and naïveté, like the original tale does.

This version of Little Red Riding Hood is very cute. The description brings attention to its embracing of black culture. While I cannot really comment on said culture, I do like that the family is inclusive and by being so allows for the little girl to outsmart the wolf. This version is very kid friendly as the child does not allow herself to be fooled or endangered by the wolf. I think it is a great read!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Mahogany is a Little Red Riding Hood retelling about the beauty of blackness. Mahogany is asked by her mother to take some cornbread to grandma's house for dinner, which means going through the woods to get there. Little does she know what danger lurks there. When she encounters the wolf, she is able to blend in with her surroundings in order to fool him. Her curls blow with the wind of the willows, her dark skin becomes one with the deep brown of the tree trunks, and her hair smells of the same sweet lavender swaying in the forest. The story teaches young Black girls to love themselves and appreciate what makes them unique.

"Mahogany" offers a fresh and clever twist on the classic Little Red Riding Hood tale, celebrating the beauty and magic of Black culture. Mahogany, a spirited and resourceful girl, embarks on a journey to deliver honey cornbread to her grandmother's house, but she encounters a hungry wolf along the way. What sets this version apart is Mahogany's quick thinking, resourcefulness, and her strong connection to her heritage.

The story is kid-friendly and empowers young readers to be resourceful and strong when faced with challenges. The fun illustrations add to the charm of this refreshing retelling. "Mahogany" is a delightful and quick read that will resonate with both children and adults. Thanks to the author for sharing this innovative version, and thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this advanced review copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

In this ingenious re-telling of the Little Red Riding Hood story, Mahogany is a girl of colour who is sent by her mother to deliver some honey cornbread to her grandma. To do this, she needs to make her way through the woods. But as she does so, Mahogany keeps her mother's warnings in mind.

A feisty and creative young girl, Mahogany loves to sew and to listen to music. And when she is approached by a wolf in the woods, she swiftly (and correctly) decides that he is up to no good, because "Mahogany was rather sure that strange wolves in the woods were not to be trusted"!

After distracting the Wolf with the honey cornbread, Mahogany at first hides from him, and then comes up with a clever way of using her skills to take care of the threat once and for all. The story is accompanied by quirky illustrations.

This is a wonderful celebration of Black Girl Power, and a creative and fun interpretation of a classic fairy tale. It's a lot less violent than the classic version as well, and doesn't require a woodcutter to come to the rescue of a damsel in distress. Highly recommended - for girls and boys of all shades!

Now that’s what I call a good retelling! It will give confidence on how little girls learn to escape predators and learn some basic life saving skills early on.

I find the story so good and fun to read. The artwork works perfectly!

Thank you, Charlesbridge, for the advance reading copy.

A clever retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a Black family. My daughters liked that the girl was smart enough to not trust the wolf and was clever in out-smarting him. We also loved the way Mohogany’s hair is drawn. It’s a relatively simple zigzag but makes for a beautiful effect. My daughters did not like that the mom sends her daughter into the woods,.. ARC from NetGalley

Very fun retelling of Red Riding Hood. This was changed just enough to be a slightly different story, but held firm in it's route.
Great illustrations and story.

Mahogany is a wonderful contemporary retelling of Little Red Riding Hood perfect for the children of today. The gorgeous illustrations and the focus on Mahogany's strengths make this the perfect picture book to teach young people about stranger danger and the importance of not second guessing yourself.

Mohogany is a vibrant and fun alternative to the Red Riding Hood I grew up with. I love that young Black and Brown people can see themselves in this “classic” story. Mohogany is a creative and brave child, and the story is easy to follow with beautiful and colorful illustrations. In this modern retelling, where anything is possible, I only wish the story went beyond good and bad binaries. I try to teach my daughter that there aren’t good and bad people, only good and bad decisions. That as Bryan Stevenson says, we are more than the worst thing we have ever done.

This Red Riding Hood knows what's up! It was so nice to read a retelling that didn't leave me annoyed with the main characters' poor decision-making. Mahogany is clever and uses her wits to outsmart the wolf before he can cause too much trouble.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

My littles and I love finding new twists on classic stories. With this fun adventure we did just that. This was an adorable and fun twist on Little Red Riding Hood. In this story our girl is Mahogany who is full of life, not shy, loves music and loves to sew. While on her way to Grandma’s with cornbread she encounters the hungry wolf. Mahogany is clever and hides using her black curly hair to blend with branches and her ebony skin to blend with the shadows. Her uniqueness and her own set of skills help to save her. What a great new look at this classic story. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and uses her mind and cleverness to save herself. We loved this story. I can’t wait for my little girl, who is 1, grow up and see how amazing this story is. The playful and fun illustrations by John Joven are so creative in adding to the fun of this story. The ending is our favorite, but we don’t wanna spoil the adventure for you. Enjoy the adventure with your family. It is also perfect for early learning classrooms to share.

I received an electronic ARC from Charlesbridge through NetGalley.
Mahogany is an artist with fabric and creates her own red cape. Her mom wants her to get outside and enjoy the day so has her take fresh cornbread to her grandmother. Readers will recognize the basics of Little Red Riding Hood as she leaves home and takes her basket through the woods to see her grandma. We even see the wolf attempt to trick her. I appreciate the ways Brown-Wood changes the plot to empower Mahogany and make her grandmother bold too. A modernized version that encourages girls to think and problem solve.

Mahogany: A Little Red Riding Hood Tale
by JaNay Brown-Wood

A multi cultural retelling of little red riding hood. Little red is capable, intelligent, kind and very practical. But using her interests and skills not only did she make her own cloak, but a fashion staple for her g-ma.
Her practical skills allow her to show ingenuity and brilliance.
She also rocks out to music. Notices nature, and is her own hero. Its an culturally affirming story allowing children to see themselves in their stories

A retelling of little red riding hood. It was a cute tale. I loved that art and the story. My five year especially enjoyed it and I had to read and reread it.

My 3 year old and I absolutely loved this story! The pictures were cute and the diversity shown in this book is beautiful. We loved it so much!

I am ALL about this take of Little Red Riding Hood featuring a brown character! YASSS! Couldn’t figure out how all of a sudden the girl’s music stopped in the woods but no biggie.

A strong picture book for pushing kids towards longer readers and chapter books, with more complex sentences and descriptions. For example, "the woods were quiet, except for the soft song of the wind blowing through the trees". A part of me wishes that the illustrations were paired directly with the words on the page (such as putting the sign that Mahogany makes on the page that mentions she made a sign) but that's a very small thing. Follows the traditional rhythm of a red riding hood tale with an admirable young character.

Such a great twist on a classic fairytale! Loved the non-traditional ending and was very engaging. Illustrations are beautifully illustrated.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for an eARC version of this novel! Opinions are my own.

Mahogany is a wonderful retelling of little red riding hood, which every young girl should read. JaNay Brown-Wood shows that even classic characters need not be victim, and can instead use their wit, cleverness, and skills. This fun story is accompanied by wonderful illustrations by John Joven.

This was an interesting retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but instead she's carrying cornbread, and is known for her sewing skills. Mahogany is a fun and daring little kid, and she managed to outsmart the wily wolf in a new and interesting way.

This modern take on Little Red Riding Hood has artistic Mahogany sewing her own red patchwork cape to wear across the woods to G-Ma's house with a plate of honey cornbread hot from the oven. Of course, she meets a wolf on the way who gobbles down the cornbread and steals her cape, then tries to fool G-Ma. Mahogany, and her G-Ma are not fooled by wolves, however, and creatively solve the wolf problem.