Red Knit Cap Girl [Hardcover]

Naoko Stoop (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2012 | Age Range: 1 - 6 years | Series: Red Knit Cap Girl

Red Knit Cap Girl is a little girl with a big dream -- to meet the Moon.

Red Knit Cap Girl lives with her animal friends in an enchanted forest. There is so much to see and do, but more than anything Red Knit Cap Girl wishes she could talk to the Moon. Join Red Knit Cap Girl and her forest friends on a journey of curiosity, imagination, and joy as they search for a way to meet the Moon.

Gorgeously illustrated on wood grain, Red Knit Cap Girl's curiosity, imagination, and joy will captivate the hearts of readers young and old as her journey offers a gentle reminder to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around us.

Editorial Reviews

Review

* "Stoop's first picture book...[is] a successful ensemble piece, gorgeously illustrated, in which each character has a part to play." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"An apt choice for bedtime reading, this story affirms the necessity of turning off the light and noise of our busy world to truly recognize the everyday marvels around us." (School Library Journal)

"A gentle Zen-like parable, with visual and narrative intrigue." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Soothingly familiar....The text is simple and thoughtful, almost meditative, but it's the charming artwork that runs away with the show." (Booklist)

"Stoop's dreamy, saturated illustrations, painted on plywood, create a roomy wonderland that welcomes any child's curiosity and sense of adventure." (The New York Times Book Review)

About the Author

Naoko Stoop's love of drawing began when she was a young child growing up in Japan. Naoko now lives and paints in Brooklyn, New York, where she uses found materials such as plywood and brown paper bags as her canvas. She has shown her work in a variety of galleries and stores in New York. Red Knit Cap Girl is her first picture book.

Product Details

• Age Range: 1 - 6 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (June 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316129461
• ISBN-13: 978-0316129466
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.4 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars STUNNING ART WORK AND A VERY PEACEFUL, THOUGHTFUL READ FOR THE LITTLE ONES. June 10, 2012

By D. Blankenship HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

What a beautifully done (in several ways) children's book this one is! Red Knit Cap Girl personally appeals to be for several reasons and on different levels.

First, this is precisely the sort of picture story book that would have appealed to my daughter when she was young; under the age of five. She has been teaching first grade for over 20 years now but she still has plenty of little girl in her and will love this work.

Secondly, for a first time published author and artist, Naoko Stoop has created a book, which I strongly feel will eventually become a classic. The art work is absolutely stunning. I cannot remember the last time I viewed such a odd but appealing blend of colors. I am not quite sure how she, the artist, pulled it off, but what ever she did, she did it well. In many ways the subject matter; each plate, is rather austere at first glance but when you look closely, there is much too each picture. The balance and composition is near perfect. The little girl; Red Knit Cap Girl, simply pops from the page

The story is simple. Our little girl likes to set in the forest and wonder about everything. Her curiosity is drawn to the moon. She wants to talk to the moon. But alas, how do you get close enough to the moon to talk? She seeks the advice of her animal friends ending with Mr. Owl. Owl advises our little impish girl that she is too far from the moon to talk, but that maybe she can entice the moon to come down to her. How is this to be done? "You will find a way," answers the owl.

And she does; she and her animal friends - indeed she does.

Sort of a spoiler alert here: Ask yourself..."Can I see the moon and stars with too much light around me here in the ground?" And this brings up the third reason I like this work. Our lives; our lives at night, are so often filled with light from the city, town our home that we fail to enjoy the night beauty around us. Clutter, clutter, clutter. My wife and I have been living in the woods, far from city lights, for many years now. We truly get to enjoy the night sky...many do not. This is sad and I do not feel we would be comfortable anywhere else.

Another reviewer here is absolutely correct when she noted an almost Zen like quality to this work. As you read it to your child you discover a very peaceful feeling in the air. I like that.

The author's text, prose really, goes perfectly with her wonderful art work. This book would make an ideal bedtime story book for your young child and most certainly should be on their book shelf.

Wow...I simply cannot get over the art work in this one!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely May 28, 2012

By Jessica at Cracking the Cover

Format:Hardcover

Red Knit Cap Girl wonders about lots of things. In the forest, you see, there's time for that. More than anything, Red Knit Cap Girl wonders about Moon and the possibility of talking to her. No matter how hard the girl tries, it seems the moon is just too far away.

It seems the Red Knit Cap Girl will never meet Moon, that is until Owl offers a suggestion -- the moon is too far to visit, but she will bend down to listen. Soon the little girl has an idea, gathering all her forest friends for a Moon celebration. Everyone pitches in, lighting lanterns and singing, but there's just silence. Only when they blow out the lanterns and sit quietly does the Moon appear, and together they listen to the sounds of the forest.

I've wanted to read "Red Knit Cap Girl" since the moment I first saw it's cover. It's so sweet and beautiful in it's simplicity, how could you not? Luckily for readers, those themes carry throughout the book, which is in one word -- lovely.

You won't find any gimmicks or flashy illustrations here. Just a carefully crafted tale that will set the tone for bedtime or naptime, as the case may be. Naoko Stopp's illustrations are stylized and unassuming and perfect for the tale. Even with the use of bold oranges and reds, her use of color is tranquil. The accompanying text flows nicely and ads to the Zen feel of the book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars amazing surface mediums! November 2, 2012

By Margaret Chind VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

First I have to point out the amazing surface medium of this book of acrylic and pencil on plywood! It leads such a texture that is appropriate and works for every page. The red knit cap girl and white bunny go on an adventure to talk to the moon and it is inspiring and full of imagination. I know I will enjoy sharing this with my girls time and again. I hope to see more of Naoko Stoop's art in the future.

*Thanks to Little Brown for providing a copy for review.*