Little Red Riding Hood

6C, Allen D. Bragdon Publishers, Inc. 1959

Notes

The original story, most famously recorded by Charles Perrault and later by the Brothers Grimm, tells of a young girl who travels through the woods to visit her grandmother and encounters a cunning wolf. By 1959, this tale had already become a staple of children’s storytelling and was frequently adapted for screen.

In 1959, adaptations of Little Red Riding Hood typically reflected the era’s storytelling style—simple, moral-focused, and family-friendly. Many versions emphasized the lesson about obeying parents and being cautious with strangers. Some were live-action productions, while others were animated, often with colorful, stylized visuals and a lighter tone compared to the darker earlier versions of the tale.

These mid-century adaptations also tended to soften the more frightening elements. For example, instead of tragic endings, the story usually concludes happily, with the girl and her grandmother saved—often by a woodsman figure who defeats the wolf.

Overall, the 1959 interpretations of Little Red Riding Hood are part of a broader tradition of retelling this enduring fairy tale, reflecting the values and sensibilities of mid-20th-century audiences while preserving the core narrative of innocence, danger, and moral lesson.

Description

Red Hardback with paper color illustration on front, colored illustrations throughout, very fine condition.