Lon Po Po facts for kids
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| Author | Ed Young |
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| Illustrator | Ed Young |
| Cover artist | Samantha |
| Country | China |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Philomel |
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Publication date
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November 1989 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| Pages | 32 (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 978-0-399-21619-0 |
| OCLC | 17981442 |
| 398.2/0951 E 19 | |
| LC Class | PZ8.1.Y84 Lo 1989 |
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China is a children's picture book. It was translated and illustrated by Ed Young. The book was published by Philomel (part of Penguin Young Readers Group) in 1989. Ed Young won the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1990 for his amazing illustrations in this book.
About the Book's Style
This story is a Chinese version of the well-known fable "Little Red Riding Hood". Ed Young retold the tale in his own unique way. Unlike the original story, where only one child meets the wolf, Lon Po Po features three children. The story is told from their point of view.
Most of the book's illustrations are split into three parts across two pages. These smaller pictures then come together to form a larger, complete image. Ed Young used dark colors in his illustrations. This helps to set the mood and tone of the story.
What Happens in the Story?
The story takes place in China. Three sisters named Shang, Tao, and Paotze are left alone at home. Their mother goes to visit their grandmother, Po Po, for her birthday. Before leaving, their mother tells the girls to "Be good" and to "Remember to close the door tight at sunset and latch it well."
Meanwhile, an old wolf sees the mother leave. He decides to trick the children and get into their house. The wolf pretends to be their grandmother, Po Po, to try and get them to open the door. The children ask the wolf questions through the door. They ask, "Why are you here so late?" and "Why is your voice so low?" The wolf has clever answers for all their questions.
The two youngest children finally open the door and let the wolf inside. Because it is dark, the children cannot see that it is really a wolf. When it is time for bed, the children and the wolf are supposed to sleep together. The children start to notice things about "Po Po" that seem wolf-like. They ask, "Po Po, your foot has a bush on it" and "Po Po, your hands have thorns." The wolf keeps giving clever answers.
Finally, Shang, the oldest sister, lights a candle. Before the candle goes out, she sees that "Po Po" is actually a wolf! Shang quickly thinks of a plan to get herself and her sisters out of the house. She tells the wolf about delicious, magical gingko nuts. These nuts grow on a tree outside their home.
The children go outside and climb the tree. Once they are safe, Shang tells her two sisters that Po Po is really the wolf. The wolf follows them outside. The girls tell the wolf to get a rope and a basket. They say they will pull him up the tree so he can get the nuts. But their real plan is to drop the wolf once he is in the basket.
On the third try, as the wolf reaches for the nuts, the children let go of the rope. The wolf falls down, hitting his head. The girls then ask the wolf if he is okay, but they hear no answer. The wolf had been defeated by the fall. With the wolf gone, the girls go back into the house and go to sleep. The next day, when their mother returns, they tell her everything that happened.
Audiobook Version
Ed Young's book was also made into a popular audiobook. It was released in 2006. This audiobook is about 12 minutes long and includes a colored video and DVD. The story is narrated by the actor B. D. Wong.
