Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

The Little Old Man, the Little Old Woman, and the Little Red Hen is a children’s book written by David L. Roper and illustrated by Kara Mitchell. Every single day, the little red hen proudly provides the little old man and little old woman of the house with an egg. Always prepared in a different way, the eggs from the red hen make for a delicious breakfast. The couple thank the hen each day for her eggs. One week arrives, however, when the couple have things for breakfast which do not include eggs, such as cereal and toast. When the old man exclaims that it is the best breakfast he’d ever eaten, the hen grows sad and depressed. Her feathers fall out and she becomes weak. Panicked, the couple nurse their beloved red hen back to health and regret having not eaten her eggs. As the little red hen slowly recovers, she sometimes finds herself unable to lay eggs, but the couple makes alternative meals on those days. Regardless of their breakfast choice, however, they are always sure to tell the little red hen how much they adore her eggs.

David L. Roper’s unique tale of a pet’s devotion to its owners brought a tear to my eye. It teaches that, regardless of species, an animal’s pride and spirit are easily broken when it is taken for granted. Although the old couple adored their hen and found many different and exciting ways to serve her daily egg for breakfast, they never showed or told her how very much they loved and appreciated her. It was not until she almost died of a broken heart that the old couple realized how much the little red hen devoted her whole life to them. While it is true that many of us take things for granted, the little old man and the little old woman rejoiced in the fact that they were lucky enough to be given a second chance. From that moment, they wasted not a single day in telling the hen how wonderful her eggs were and how much they appreciated having her in their lives. I enjoyed The Little Old Man, the Little Old Woman, and the Little Red Hen and recommend it to children aged 4-7 years of age, in the hopes that they will learn, at an early age, to always appreciate those around them.