Roald Dahl is famous for works such as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Matilda, but he also wrote his own version of many common fairytales, including "Little Red Riding Hood." Though he writes his version in rhyming poetic form, the mood is much darker than the Grimm's version. Dahl's audience is clearly not the same as the Grimms, aiming for a more adult crowd who can enjoy his quirky humor. This is shown by the use of a pistol by Little Red Riding Hood to destroy the wolf herself, an addition certainly not meant to entertain a bunch of children.  Also, Little Red wears the wolf's fur as a coat, making her a more mature girl, and therefore, aimed to entertain an older audience. Finally, the structure of the narrative, a poem, seeks to engage an older crowd, for poetry is often harder to understand. 

Dahl is a twentieth century author, and therefore, his target audience is more modern and older than those of previous versions of the fairytale. He uses irony and humor to twist the story around to appeal to this new generation, but why? By this time in history, classic fairytales like "Little Red Riding Hood" were common knowledge among children and adults. In order to make the story fresh and new to an adult crowd that grew up hearing these stories, Dahl adds new elements to create a contemporary and unconventional version.  In so doing, he gives new depth to these old stories and makes them interesting all over again.