WEREWOLF? THERE WOLF!

A modern “Little Red Riding Hood” with a twist.

Distracted by the device in her hand, Little Red heads down the dangerous fork to her grandmother’s home. She wanders into the Wolf-Filled Woods, where wolves—of every “type, shape, and size”—hungrily lurk along the path. Eyes still glued to her smartphone, Red doesn’t see a single one. That is, until the “biggest and baddest” wolf emerges from behind a tree. Red throws her phone. She trembles, shivers, and even plays dead until she gets the “bright, helpful thought” to stand up to the wolf instead. She warns the wolf of a nearby werewolf that will gobble him up. The wolf is skeptical, but he asks Red whether each wolf in the forest—from square (-shaped) wolf to barely there wolf—is the loup garou in question. Soon, the full moon is in sight and—surprise!—Red transforms into the werewolf. Hunt’s colorful, eye-catching cartoon illustrations are filled with whimsical background details. The staging and facial expressions give the proceedings an animated-movie feel. Sullivan’s clever concept effectively flips the script on the classic tale. While the memorable twist itself is up to par with the one in Mo Willems’ That Is Not a Good Idea (2013), the preachy ending and often forced rhyming couplets cheapen the fun of this otherwise vibrant tale. Red and her grandmother have light-brown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Good concept and visuals but not totally worth howling about.