Red (The Fairy-Tale Color Collection #1)

by Jed Alexander (Author)

Red (The Fairy-Tale Color Collection #1)

A wordless take on the classic tale, Little Red Riding Hood, in which the Big Bad Wolf and other woodland creatures are planning something surprising.

Red is on her way through the woods to visit Grandmother when she meets the Big Bad Wolf. What are that Wolf and all of those woodland creatures up to? This version of the classic folktale ends a bit differently. A delightful surprise awaits Red and readers in this wordless picture book featuring newcomer Jed Alexander's exquisite two-color illustrations.

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Kirkus

A nod to “Little Red Riding Hood,” yes, but also a not-so-scary, sweet treat on its own.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Riffs on "Little Red Hiding Hood" are many, but there's always room for more, especially when they're as good as this. In dense and delicate black lines, debut author-artist Alexander constructs a forest thick with trees for the small girl to traverse. But before readers even reach the title page, there are hints that this wordless story may not follow the expected trajectory: an opening spread shows the enormous and slyly smiling wolf walking toward Grandmother's cabin, bags of party hats and wrapping paper in its jaws. Red herself is a squat, no-nonsense heroine decked out in heavy black boots and a red hoodie sweatshirt. She's intercepted by the wolf, whose bulk and giant, lustrous tail almost seem to engulf her. The wolf seems to be toying with Red--or distracting her, perhaps. Foxes carrying red balloons sneak past as the two talk, and squirrels scurry by with trailing streamers. Alexander dials back the danger while still maintaining a degree of suspense: the only thing getting eaten in his version of the story is birthday cake. Ages 4-8. Agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary. (Apr.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--In Alexander's version of "Little Red Riding Hood," things are not what they seem. The story starts out much like the original, with a little hooded girl entering a dark forest carrying a basket of goodies. There she encounters a wolf, which, notably, is one actually large enough to swallow a child. It is at this point that something will pique viewers' interest; animals bearing gifts start walking by. Readers will only understand how deftly the author plays on their preconceived notions once they reach the end. What starts out as the normal cautionary tale becomes a sweet surprise that changes kids' perceptions of the archetypal wolf. With this knowledge, a second read-through proves a different experience. The variety in character expressions and body language supply some obvious dialogue choices for this wordless book; however, readers will likely narrate it in a different manner once they realize that the wolf is deliberately distracting the girl. These two possible interpretations were successfully executed, partially because of how carefully the characters were placed and posed on each spread. Overall, the illustrations are striking. Beautiful pencil strokes fill out the world and provide a background contrast for the limited reds. VERDICT A charming and truly surprising take on the familiar story that will delight readers of all ages. A contender for the wordless picture book of the year.--Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781944903114
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Cameron Kids
Publication date
May 01, 2018
Series
The Fairy-Tale Color Collection
BISAC categories
JUV002250 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Wolves & Coyotes
JUV012000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fairy Tales & Folklore | Anthologies
Library of Congress categories
Stories without words
Picture books
Forest animals
Parties
Wolves
JUVENILE FICTION / Fairy Tales & Folklore / G
JUVENILE FICTION / Classics
Little Red Riding Hood (Tale)

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