Booklist Review

Gomez and Chavarri offer a modern take on Little Red Riding Hood full of Mexican flavor in this picture book about a boy in a red hoodie running errands for his abuelo. In rhyming, bouncy quatrains featuring plenty of Spanish words, Gomez tells the tale of Federico, who rides his bike to the market to purchase produce so his grandfather can make the perfect pico de gallo at his shop. On his way, Rico meets the big bad wolf, and the classic plot points ensue. But Federico comes up with a clever (and spicy) solution using the ingredients in his bike basket. Chavarri's bright illustrations include a vibrant array of Mexican produce, flowers, decorations, and objects that are culturally representative, and her expressive, bold figures nicely emphasize the dramatic turns of the story. The endpapers, in a style recalling traditional Mexican ceramics decoration, are particularly eye-catching. In addition to a glossary defining the Spanish words used in the story, the back matter includes a recipe for pico de gallo. A lively, playful take on a classic.