LITTLE RED’S SUMMER ADVENTURE

Ferguson returns to the bucolic splendor of Little Red and Little Blue’s world in this third addition to the series. The two children, along with their menagerie of feathered and furry friends, are preparing for a summer festival and boat show, the highlight of which is a surprise transformation of Red’s wagon using a magical key. However, when the key is snatched, Little Red and her pals must work together to solve the problem—with a little magical assistance from within Red’s sack of smiles. Ferguson maintains a light and airy tone throughout the tale, where even the most vehement expletive—shouted out by Little Blue—is the phrase “Coconut cupcakes!” Williams’s pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are awash in vibrant summery hues. His detailed paintings neatly capture the fey, otherworldliness of the Buttercup Cottage community and inhabitants. Captivating depictions of the activities provide plenty of material for young readers to linger over. Ferguson’s sweetly innocent tale, filled with whimsy, is the perfect antidote to high-tech overload and just the thing to share with little ones. (Picture book. 4-7)