Lily Blue Riding Hood: A Purim Story by Sandy Lanton, illustrated by Kim Barnes; Lynnwood, Washington: Intergalactic Afikoman © 2023; ISBN 9781951-365103; 32 pages including a hamantaschen recipe and biographies of Lanton and Barnes.
SAN DIEGO –Purim arrives this year the evening of Monday, March 6, and concludes on Tuesday, March 7. To get your children or grandchildren ready for the fun holiday, you could enjoy reading with them this parody on Little Red Riding Hood, wherein Lily whizzes on a skateboard toward grandma’s condo in Florida. Lily has hamantaschen loaded into her backpack.
She is spotted by Mr. Thaddeus T. Wolfe who unsuccessfully tries to grab the delectable holiday cookies out of her backpack. When she eludes him, he takes a shortcut to granny’s condo, jumps into her bed, and tries to impersonate her. Granny meanwhile is at the golf club where Mr. Wolfe, a neighbor, had suggested they meet. Lily Blue Riding Hood hears Wolfe’s deep voice, sees his big arm muscles and hairy arms, and realizes that’s not grandma in the bed.
Wolfe tries to get away with Lily’s backpack but she trips him up with her skateboard. Then grandma shows up, and she, Lily, and Wolfe head for the Purim party, where there are plenty of hamantaschen for everyone. Afterwards they deliver Shalach Manot baskets to fairy-tale neighbors including Hillel and Gretel, the three little chazers, and Yankel, who sits on a beanstalk.
While you may wonder why Wolfe wanted to steal Lily’s hamantaschen when he would be going to the Purim party later anyway, remember, it’s a fairy tale after all. And besides, Wolf(e)s are known for their big appetites. The reassuring part for little readers is that all the characters lived happily ever after.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com