Customer Reviews

The Red Wolf

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a marvelously odd and subversive book. The princess' capacity to make change happen, all on her own, and in defiance of parental authority, gives the book a very special flavor. Plot aside, just enough is said and not said that there is room for children to fill in the blanks themselves, and I have found that kids (both boys and girls) ask questions and want hear it again after they have thought about it for a few days. This is not a neat and tidy traditional fairy story and I expect some parents might find this book too much off the beaten path, but I thought it was great and will be giving copies to several little girls I know.

I bought this book because I heard them review it on NPR. It was not a disappointment. The drawings do have a Sendak feel to them, but they are freer and looser than the tight ink drawings in Where the Wild Things Are. The story has a different twist to it. One thing I love about it is that instead of the princess being focused on getting a man, this princess yearns for freedom and a chance to play. That's a nice change of pace from all the Cinderellas and Sleeping Beautys and I think teaches a better lesson. This is my second copy, because my niece discovered this one day while playing here and fell in love with it immediately.

The Red Wolf , by Margaret Shannon, is a wonderful twist on the princess locked alone in a tower story. A young princess is locked away in a high tower by her father the king. Being the king's only daughter he fears for her safety and feels locking her away is the best way to protect her. One day the lonely princess receives a gold box with nothing inside of it but knitting needles and balls of colored thread. A note inside the box reads, "Knit what ever you like." The princess knits herself a red suit. When the princess puts on the red suit she turns into a red wolf. The princess grows bigger and bigger, until finally she bursts out of the tower. No one in the kingdom
recognizes her. Even the king thinks his daughter has been eaten by the big red wolf. Enjoying her new found freedom the princess dashes off; stomping all about and doing just what she pleases. The princess enters the forrest. When part of her wolf suit gets
caught on a tree and begins to unravel (As the wolf suit unravels she grows smaller and smaller) the princess disappears. Later she is found sleeping under a tree and promptly
locked back up in a brand new tower. Not to worry though, in the end the princess knits a special suit for the king. When the king puts on the gift from his daughter, he turns into a mouse. In the final illustration of the book the princess is going off to play while the king looks on from the tower. The illusrations are magnificient and the story is delightfuly told. I especially loved the description of the princess dissappearing into the trees when her wolf suit unravels. I give The Red Wolf an A +.

Preston McClear...

"There was once a little princess called Roselupin, who was kept locked up at the top of a tall, stony tower. "The world is a wild and dangerous place, Roselupin," her father, the king, would tell her. "Far too wild for my precious princess." Poor Roselupin longed to leave her tower and visit the world. On her seventh birthday, she receives a large golden box with her name on it spelled out in jewels. Inside the box are balls and balls of different colored yarns, and a note that directs her to "KNIT WHAT YOU WANT." The king laughs at such a silly gift, and tells Roselupin to knit him a nice scarf, but she has other plans. All night long she knits away, and by morning has finished a bright red wool, wolf suit. She puts on the costume and says..."If the world's to wild for the likes of me,/Then a BIG RED WOLF I'd rather be." And with that, she begins to grow and grow "until she burst right through the roof of the tall, stony tower and, with one giant leap, was out in the forest." She ate, she danced, she howled, and best of all slept under the stars, free at last. But as Roselupin ran through the deep, dark, woods, her wolf suit caught on branches, and she began to slowly unravel..... Margaret Shannon has authored a marvelous modern fairy tale with a gentle message that won't be lost on young children. Her engaging text begs to be read aloud, and is complemented by bold, bright, and evocative illustrations, and youngsters will enjoy poring over the pictures and finding all the wonderful details in Ms Shannon's expressive artwork. With an amusing, surprise twist at the end, The Red Wolf is a very satisfying story the whole family can share and discuss together, and makes a terrific addition to all home bookshelves.

I ordered this on a whim after seeing it mentioned on Facebook. No little children in my family at this point. Very good for its message of fighting ridiculous restrictions imposed by adults (and I agree with a lot of restrictions imposed by adults on children, but not locking them in a tower.) As I knitter, I know we are sometimes pressured to knit things we'd really rather not. So "Knit what you want" is a good message on a different level than what the book is saying.

I first heard this story read on NPR and I loved it. The illustrations are big and beautiful. This story is about Rose Lupin whose father "TRIES" to keep her in a tower. I love this book because the princess frees herself! A copy of The Red Wolf goes to every new baby girl I know!

I have a 3 year old son, he likes the book, but his 5 year old cousin Lindsay LOVES this book. I tend to really get into it when I'm reading to the kids. You know a different voice for each character, whispering when something scary is about to happen etc... I swear, I had never seen her eyes grow so wide as I did with this book. Oh wait, I have seen them almost pop out when I've chased her acting like a hungry bear :-)

Brimming with mystique and echoes of Sendak, this fresh fairy tale subtly, yet powerfully, casts light on the costs of safety and the value of freedom. Our whole family is entranced by this fabulous book.

I was disappointed with this book. I did not like that her father kept her locked away, how he mocked her when she recieved her "gift," and how she turned her father into a mouse. There are so many bad influences on children today, I don't need a book telling them that they don't need to listen to their parents. I am my childrens biggest advocate. Buy "Where the Wild Things Are." Altough the boy gets mad at his mother and runs away (in his mind) he comes home because he loves his mom and knows she loves him even when he has been bad. The illustrations in "The Red Wolf" are wonderful, but not good enough to make it worth the clearnce price I bought it for.