Mahogany - by Janay Brown-Wood (Hardcover)

About the Book

"When taking cornbread to Grandma, Mahogany encounters a hungry wolf and outsmarts him by cleverly hiding in the woods and using her sewing skills to trap him"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A clever, Black contemporary twist on Little Red Riding Hood, Mahogany embraces the beauty--and magic--within herself to thwart the Big Bad Wolf.

Mahogany is a spunky girl who loves to sew, listen to music, and wear fresh kicks. On the way to deliver homemade honey cornbread to Grandma's house, she encounters a hungry wolf. Because Mahogany is clever, she stands by a willow tree, where her long, black curly hair blends with the branches. She hides in the forest, where her ebony skin merges with the shadows. And Mahogany knows the lavender scent of her skin will mix with the smells of flowering plants, tricking any wolf nose.

Ultimately, Mahogany's Blackness, her wits, and her sewing skills all save her in this refreshing, celebratory, and innovative retelling.

Review Quotes

In this fairy-tale retelling, a Black, red-cloaked fashionista makes her way through the woods to her grandmother's house.
Purple-curled Mahogany loves sewing and listening to music. As the book opens, Mahogany shows off the fruits of her labor: a gorgeous red patchwork cape. Momma asks her to take some honey cornbread to G-Ma but warns her to stay alert, and Mahogany sets out...with loud music from her smartphone blaring. As the distracted child stops to pick a bouquet of lavender, a sly wolf, who's been lurking, introduces himself. Mahogany tells him she's on her way to G-Ma's. He asks about the cornbread, and a frightened Mahogany hands it over--before tossing her cape over his head and fleeing. The story generally stays true to the main plot points of the original story, with some clever changes that will satisfy modern sensibilities (no animals are harmed in this retelling). Mahogany eventually uses her wits and her sewing prowess to save the day, while it's G-Ma who delivers well-known lines such as "What big eyes you've got." This new version is still a morality tale about being aware of one's surroundings and not talking to strangers, but with a fun, tech-y twist. Human characters present Black, and Brown-Wood gently folds an empowering message about brown skin into her text ("sunlight that kissed the melanin deep in [Mahogany's] dark skin"). Joven's cartoonish characters inhabit an enticing, beautifully textured world.
A hip adaptation of a beloved story.
--Kirkus Reviews


This modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood centers on Mahogany, a brown-skinned girl who loves to sew. After she finishes stitching her beautiful red cape, she agrees to deliver some freshly made cornbread to her grandmother. After promising her mother that she will be careful, Mahogony leaves. But she allows herself to be distracted by her favorite music through her headphones, and she suddenly realizes she is lost in the woods. Distracted by the wonderful scent of lavender, she begins picking a bouquet, only to be approached by a wolf. He demands the cornbread and as he finishes eating it, she throws her cape over him and runs away. But he takes her cape and bag and heads to her grandmother's house, intending to trick the old woman. Luckily, Mahogany is a clever girl, and she has devised a plan to trick the wolf and save her grandmother. This delightful fresh take presents a diverse cast of characters. Mahogany's cleverness will inspire and delight young girls everywhere. Colorful illustrations enhance the wonderful story. Useful for elementary language arts class discussions about folk tales and fairy tale versions.
--Children's Literature

About the Author

JaNay Brown-Wood is an early childhood professor and the author of several books for children, including Grandma's Tiny House, Imani's Moon, and Shhh! The Baby's Asleep. She also contributed to the poetry anthologies Thanku: Poems of Gratitude and No World Too Big . Much of JaNay's work is intended to celebrate casual diversity, primarily featuring Black characters. JaNay lives in California.

John Joven is the illustrator of The Plan for the Gingerbread House and Preschool, Here I Come!. He grew up in Bogotá, Colombia, and studied graphic design at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He still lives there with his wife, Ana, and two children, Avril and Ian. When not illustrating, he enjoys spending quality time with his children, playing soccer with his friends, watching movies, and traveling.
johnjoven.com