Red Rider's Hood (Dark Fusion) [Mass Market Paperback]

Neal Shusterman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dark Fusion | Publication Date: August 3, 2006

Red rides around his tough urban neighborhood in his blood red Mustang. It satisfies his urge to wander, and it usually keeps him safe from the gangs in town, the Wolves and the Crypts. But when Red’s grandmother is mugged by some members of the Wolves, Red can no long sit on the sidelines. He decides to join the Wolves as a pledge so he can learn how to defeat them. Soon he uncovers their terrible secret: they are werewolves with a thirst for human blood. Instead of feeling horrified, Red envies the Wolves’ freedom and power. Even as he trains to kill them— under an unlikely but cunning werewolf hunter—he has come to see them as packmates. Finally he is faced with a choice at the next full moon: take up the Wolves’ murderous ways, or take them down.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–This is the second book in a series that melds fairy tales, myths, and legends. When readers first meet Red, he is riding to Grandma's house in his newly refurbished red Mustang. Already, it's clear that this is not the fairy tale they heard when they were little. Red arrives at Grandma's, delivering some bread (money), and when he gets there, he is confronted by a member of a gang called the Wolves. Grandma has been thrown in the basement, the Wolves take her bread, and the chaos begins. Soon, Red finds out that the gang members are actually werewolves who change when the full moon rises, and he's surprised to discover that his grandmother is a werewolf hunter, determined to eliminate them. At first, Red and his friend Marissa join forces with her, but problems arise when he infiltrates the gang to gather information and begins to feel a bond with them. Ultimately, it is his confusion about which side he is really on that could be his downfall. This installment in the series would be best for younger YAs as older teens might miss the good old-fashioned blood and guts that they look for in werewolf stories. The inclusion of a rival girl gang of vampires adds little to the story, but Red's journey is fast paced and suspenseful.–Kimberly L. Paone, Elizabeth Public Library, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-9. Shusterman follows up Dread Locks (2005), a present-day retelling of the Medusa legend, with a clever twist on Little Red Riding Hood. The heroine becomes Red Rider, a 16-year-old boy who lives in a rough neighborhood terrorized by werewolves. His grandmother is a former hippie who turns out to be a werewolf hunter, prowling the streets in leather on a black Harley Davidson. Add a little romance, betrayal of all sorts, and Red Rider's lovingly restored red Mustang convertible, and you have a plot full of twists and turns, sure to appeal to fans of Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak series. Although character development is minimal and the prose lacks polish, this will draw plenty of interest from reluctant readers, particularly those who might scorn Donna Jo Napoli's more sophisticated fairy-tale retellings. Debbie Carton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 181 pages
• Publisher: Speak (August 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142406783
• ISBN-13: 978-0142406786
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #887,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Neal Shusterman is the author of many novels for young adults, including Unwind, which was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers, Everlost, and Downsiders, which was nominated for twelve state reading awards. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television shows such as Animorphs and Goosebumps. The father of four children, Neal lives in southern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Red Rider's Hood, May 14, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Red Rider's Hood (Dark Fusion) (Hardcover)

Have you ever seen your grandma hunting werewolves? Well Red has. In the action packed book: Red Rider's Hood by Neal Shusterman, Red's grandma fights werewolves in New York City. Red feels himself being pulled in by the "Wolves" who are actually a dangerous street gang, by his grandma and the love of his life, Marissa Flowers. Red has to make the decision of his life! Red Rider's Hood is an excellent book for fourth to eighth graders to read and if you like to read fantasy books, you'll love this book! In my opinion, this book is a real page turner.

4.0 out of 5 stars Red and the Werewolf, October 18, 2006

By 

Joshua Koppel (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Red Rider's Hood (Dark Fusion) (Mass Market Paperback)

Red may not be the best guy in the neighborhood but he has managed to avoid falling in with either of the local gangs. His pride and joy is a deep red Mustang which he loves to drive. But then his car is stolen and Red finds himself funning afoul of the Wolves, one of the gangs. No sooner is he in trouble than the Wolves kidnap his grandmother. It is then that Red learns the horrible truth about the Wolves. They are really werewolves and they are not to be trifled with.

Red discovers that werewolves were in the neighborhood many years ago. That time things were cleared up because some werewolf hunters came to town and quietly took care of the situation. Now red decides he has to find the werewolf hunters before things get completely out of hand. To make matters worse, these werewolves are smart. They have a devastating plan that will affect more than just Red's neighborhood. But if Red cannot find the hunters will he be able to handle the Wolves fore they realize their plans and become unstoppable?

This second Dark Fusion book is not the first time Red Riding Hood has been combined with werewolves but I believe it is the first time it has been done in a modern urban setting. The story is handled very well with action and revelations occurring steadily. The Wolves' plan adds a real sense of urgency in a way much different than the personal urgency in the first book (DREAD LOCKS). The joining of fairy tale to modern horror elements works very well and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Check it out.