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RED

Name: RED
Author: Jed Alexander
ISBN: 978-1-944903-11-4

by Jed Alexander ; illustrated by Jed Alexander ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2018

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

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A small child in a red cape carries a basket through a forest filled with creatures—including an enormous wolf!

This wordless story begins before the title page as the gigantic wolf emerges from the forest to deliver bags holding wrapping paper, ribbons, and party hats to an older woman waiting at the door of a cabin. Alexander’s detailed black-and-white illustrations convey the textures of bark, fur, mushrooms, clothing, and the wolf’s huge bushy tail, which extends past several trees at once. Shades of red and pink, the only colors against black, white, and gray, draw the eye. The girl, in red hoodie and black boots, looks intrepid as she enters the forest. (The girl and her grandmother are shown with dark hair and light, but not white, skin.) The wolf strategically blocks Red’s view as a skunk tiptoes through the trees with a red-ribboned package and a pair of red foxes pass by with bouquets of red balloons. As the little girl catches sight of a bird with a pink streamer, two rabbits sneak by with a cake, frosted in pink. The surprise that awaits the child at her grandmother’s house is full of warmth and good cheer, and somehow all the creatures fit into the small space.

A nod to “Little Red Riding Hood,” yes, but also a not-so-scary, sweet treat on its own. (Picture book. 2-5)

Pub Date: April 17, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-944903-11-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Cameron + Company

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
OLIVE
by Jed Alexander ; illustrated by Jed Alexander

- BOOK REVIEW
GOLD
by Jed Alexander ; illustrated by Jed Alexander

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UMBRELLA

by Taro Yashima ; illustrated by Taro Yashima ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1958

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Momo longed to carry the blue umbrella and wear the bright red rubber boots she had been given on her third birthday. But day after day Indian summer continued. Momo tried to tell mother she needed to carry the umbrella to nursery school because the sunshine bothered her eyes. But Mother didn't let her use the umbrella then or when she said the wind bothered her. At last, though, rain fell on the city pavements and Momo carried her umbrella and wore her red boots to school. One feels the urgency of Momo's wish. The pictures are full of the city's moods and the child's joy in a rainy day.

Pub Date: March 1, 1958

ISBN: 978-0-14-050240-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Dec. 9, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1958

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

THE THREE LITTLE SUPERPIGS AND THE GINGERBREAD MAN

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THE THREE LITTLE SUPERPIGS AND THE GINGERBREAD MAN

by Claire Evans ; illustrated by Claire Evans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2022

Superheroes, and readers, will live happily-ever-after.

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Why have fairy tales lasted so long? Maybe it’s because they change with every teller.

It takes surprisingly little effort to turn the Three Little Pigs into superheroes. The Big Bad Wolf basically started out as a supervillain, with the ability to blow a house down, and the pigs had to perform spectacular feats to outwit him. In this picture book, the wolf, locked in the Happily Never After tower, devises a plot to escape. Using rotten eggs and spicy ginger, he creates the Gingerbread Man, who makes his way to a baking contest where the three pigs and other fairy-tale characters are competing to win the key to the city. The Gingerbread Man grabs the key, and not even superhero pigs are fast enough to catch him, but with their secret weapon—mustard (which one of the pigs also uses to bake cookies)—they save the day. The morals: Evil never triumphs, and mustard cookies are delicious. The book’s charm is in the details. There are splotches of mustard on the cookies featured on the endpapers, and a sly-looking mouse is hiding on many of the pages. The story even manages to include more than a dozen fairy-tale figures without seeming frenzied. Evans’ use of shading is so skillful that it almost seems possible to reach out and touch the characters. Most of the human characters are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Superheroes, and readers, will live happily-ever-after. (Picture book. 3-5)