Red (The Fairy-Tale Color Collection #1)

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

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.)

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.