Ursula Vernon has created a great transition series for children to move from books relying heavily on pictures to chapter books with no words. Hamster Princess Little Red Rodent Hood is the 6th in the series featuring a not-so-lady-like princess, Harriet, and her sidekick best friend, Wilbur. Again they are off to an adventure that is loosely based on a fairy tale–this time Little Red Riding Hood. However, I felt that this one did not follow the storyline as much, and I struggled linking the parallels. Nonetheless, Harriet is as spunky as ever and promoting girl power on every page. The text is broken up with graphic novel type pictures. The quirky, comical dialogue would be appealing to the tween audience.

Harriet struggles to determine whom she can trust and whom she should be fighting to protect. In the end, she uses her friendships and gut to fight for the underdog and save the day.

Review of an Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Dial Books for Young Readers

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Practice sword play on a dummy; several references to wanting to be aggressive with swords, axes, etc.; several references to eating people and/or hamsters; report of weasel-wolves attacking in their sleep; report of minor attacking actors; raised sword in defense; report of fighting a giant and hitting upwards; report of bite; report of biting lots of people; biting really hard; report of a character who ate a wizard; report of attempt to kill and eat character; threats of violence; threat to bash everyone on the head; type of animal being kidnapped by hypnosis and sold as pets; reference to throwing sand in eyes as defense; branches and leaves whipped and slapped face; report of creature turning others into stone; sword drawn in defense; silver thrown as weapon – could kill character; threat to bite and turn into a monster – were-weasel; character threw a “fearsome blow” with sword towards another character; blocked teeth and claws with sword; back hit into cage; claws slash air; character hit alongside head and sent flying; thought being threatened to be eaten.

Sex/Nudity:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

Fantasy Violence.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None