Through the Looking Glass Book Reviews: Betsy Red Hoodie Blog Event Day One

Welcome!

Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Betsy Red Hoodie Blog Event Day One - A review

Welcome to Day one of the Betsy Red Hoodie Blog Event. Betsy Red Hoodie is a splendid picture book that was written by Gail Carson Levine, the author who gave us Ella Enchanted and many other magical books. Here is my review of the book.

Betsy Red Hoodie
Gail Carson Levine

Illustrated by Scott Nash

Picture Book

Ages 4 to 8

HarperCollins, 2010, 978-0-06-146870-4

One morning Betsy’s mother asks Betsy to take come cupcakes to Betsy’s grandmother’s house. Betsy is one of the shepherds in Bray Valley, and it is her responsibility to take care of the sheep. Not wanting to leave the sheep all alone, Betsy decides takes the sheep with her. Zimmo, the other shepherd in the valley, wants to go with Betsy. At first, Betsy is reluctant to allow it. After all, Zimmo is a wolf, and everyone knows that wolves and grandmothers do not mix. However, Betsy then decides that Zimmo can join the party because he has always been a most trustworthy wolf.

Twice along the way to Grandma’s house Betsy is warned that it is not a good idea to take Zimmo along, but Betsy doesn’t change her mind. Then Zimmo runs off and leaves Betsy with all the sheep to care for. Betsy is terrified that Zimmo might be giving in to his wolfish side at Grandmother’s house, but she cannot abandon the sheep who are in her care.

In this amusing and entertaining take on the Little Red Riding Hood story, we meet a little girl who has courage, a secretive wolf, and a herd of chatty and not terribly bright (but rather funny) sheep. Readers who think they know what is going to happen in the end are sure to be surprised when they discover that all is not what it seems.

For this book, Scott Nash’s delightful illustrations are presented in very unique way. There are full-page illustrations, divided panes, and spreads where all the characters have speech bubbles floating above their heads. You never quite know what is going to come next.

In the next four days this Blog Event will continue with an interview with Gail, a profile of Gail, and a writing contest that Gail very kindly created just for TTLG readers.

1 comment:

book for children said...: This is a book that I would - even though I have a ton of books to read for my work - read again." My thoughts exactly! And how often can you say that about a book? I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the book; January 10, 2011 at 11:18 PM