About the Holiday

National Skating Month was instituted by U.S. Figure Skating as a week-long celebration in March 2002 following the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The holiday gives ice-skating rinks, clubs, and programs an opportunity to invite new families to the ice by offering free lessons and skating demonstrations. This month’s theme is Skate to Superheroes and encourages rinks to plan events that show the fun and empowering aspects of ice skating. To celebrate this month head out to a rink with your family and enjoy the day. Not a skater? Now’s the perfect time to learn!

 Little Red Gliding Hood

Written by Tara Lazar | Illustrated by Troy Cummings

The depths of winter had settled in and “the river winding through the enchanted forest was frozen solid.” For one little girl, these conditions were just right. She tied on her ice skates then “swizzled and twizzled across the ice,” doing figure eights, loops, jumps, and spins. Who was this girl? “Everyone called her Little Red Gliding Hood.”

Little Red was worried. Her skates were so old that she was afraid they would no longer carry her to Grandma’s house every Sunday. Then she saw a banner announcing a skating pairs competition. The prize was a new pair of skates! But who would be her partner, Little Red wondered. The Dish and the Spoon were already a team, and so were Hansel and Gretel. Little Boy Blue was too cold to skate, the Seven Dwarves were more into hockey, and Old MacDonald couldn’t stay upright on the ice.

Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2015, text copyright Tara Lazar, 2015. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

Little Red decided to go talk it over with Grandma and skated quickly along the river to foil the Big Bad Wolf. Over cups of hot chocolate, Little Red and Grandma discussed the options: the Gingerbread Man? Too fast to catch. Baby Bear? Already matched with Goldilocks. How about one of the Three Little Pigs who had moved next door, Grandma suggested. So Little Red approached the brick house and said, “‘Little pigs, little pigs, let me in!’” Just then the Big Bad Wolf interrupted to tell Little Red she was using his line.

Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2015, text copyright Tara Lazar, 2015. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

Turning around, Little Red found herself staring into the eyes of the wolf. She shrieked and rushed away, but her old laces became untied and “her boots were lopsided and loose.” The wolf was right behind her, but just then one of Little Red’s skates flew off. As Little Red tumbled into the air, the wolf caught her. Little Red trembled.

The Big Bad Wolf howled. “‘You’re wonnnnnderful!’ The wolf gently put Little Red down.” She couldn’t believe it. Then the wolf told her that he had been chasing her just to tell her that her laces were untied. He understood because his own skates were “‘older than Rip Van Winkle.’” Then Little Red had an idea.

Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2015, text copyright Tara Lazar, 2015. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

On the day of the competition, Little Red took to the frozen pond in her old skates. As all the skaters warmed up, the wolf approached from the other side of the pond. When the skaters saw him, they were terrified, and chaos ensued. “The wolf frightened Miss Muffet away. She bumped Little Jack Horner into the corner. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. And Jack and Jill came tumbling after.” In the midst of it all, Little Red was slipping and sliding. Finally, she cried for help. The Big Bad Wolf hurried over and lifted Little Red high above the mayhem. Seeing Little Red in danger, the woodcutter ran to her rescue, his axe shining.

Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2015, text copyright Tara Lazar, 2015. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

“‘Oh, slippery slush!’ said Little Red. ‘He’s my partner!’” Everyone was shocked. But then the music played and the competition began. Each pair performed their routine. At last it was Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf’s turn. They “swizzled and twizzled across the ice” and did figure eights, loops, jumps, and spins, surprising the crowd. After the judges conferred with each other, the scores for Little Red and the wolf went up. They received a perfect ten from each judge—and new skates! As they left the pond hand in paw, Little Red exclaimed, “‘Oh my, what big skates you have!’” And the wolf answered, “‘All the better to glide with you, my dear.’”

Image copyright Troy Cummings, 2015, text copyright Tara Lazar, 2015. Courtesy of Random House Books for Young Readers.

Tara Lazar cleverly brings together an enchanted forest-full of fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters in her perfect 10 of a story. Little Red’s determination to win the skating competition and a new pair of skates to replace her old ones, gives Lazar plenty of opportunities to slide in sly puns and references to well-known fairy tales. Things heat up when the Big Bad Wolf follows Little Red to Grandma’s house, but it only serves to melt readers’ hearts when the wolf turns out to be a sweetie. Lazar’s seamless storytelling glides along like a gold medal-winning performance, each scene building on the previous move and culminating in a surprise pairing and, of course, a happy ending.

To start things off, Troy Cummings offers up an enchanted forest as enticing as any ice-cream shop. As Little Red glides on the river that winds its way through violet mountains, around familiar homes, and past several castles, readers will love pointing out the characters from their favorite stories and nursery rhymes. Little Red, with her sweet face and big eyes set off by her signature hooded cape, is as plucky a heroine as ever as she hurries through the dark woods to Grandma’s cozy cottage. The Big Bad Wolf, with his long snout and steely glare seems as menacing as we all remember…until he begins to howl Little Red’s praises.

The collection of competitors warming up at the pond will delight kids with more match-ups for them to name. Comic gold ensues when the wolf shows up and sends the skaters into a spin then rescues Little Red—holding her aloft like an Olympic champion. The duo’s performance is charming, the winning skates appropriately shiny, and smiles abound as Little Red and the (not so) Big Bad Wolf skate off into the sunset.

A smart fractured fairy tale with lots of suspense, laughs, and heart, Little Red Gliding Hood would be a well-loved prize on any home, classroom, or library bookshelf.

Ages 2 – 10

Random House Books for Young Readers, 2015 | ISBN 978-0385370066

You can discover more about Tara Lazar and her books and find a wealth of resources on her website.

To learn more about Troy Cummings, his books, and his art, visit his website.

National Skating Month Activity

Magnetic Skating Rink Craft

Kids can bring the ice skating indoors with this craft that’s easy to make and gives little characters their own turn to show off their moves.

Supplies

• Cookie Tin top, or other metal surface
• Small plastic figures or erasers
• Paper clip
• Paper
• Magnet, ½-inch to 1-inch (the stronger the magnet, the better the skater will work
• Large craft sticks
• Tape
• Small spools, blocks, or other items to raise up the skating surface
• Poly-fill (optional)
• Hot glue gun or strong glue

Directions

1. Glue the round magnet to one end of the craft stick
2. Set the top of the cookie tin on the spools or blocks to raise the surface and provide room to maneuver the magnetic stick, glue in place if desired

To Make a Skater

1. Cut a strip of paper twice as long as your paperclip
2. Fold the strip of paper in half and tape the paperclip inside. Tape the ends of the paper closed.
3. Glue the figure to the paper

To Play with the Skater

1. Place the skater on the cookie tin lid
2. Slide the magnetic stick under the cookie tin lid and match up with the skater
3. As you move the magnetic stick, the skater will glide and turn

Make more and have a skating party with your friends!

You can find Little Red Gliding Hood at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

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