Little Red Riding Sheep

PreS-Gr 2—In this story within a story, an unnamed narrator attempts to tell the classic tale of "Little Red Riding Hood," only to be repeatedly interrupted by a sheep named Arnold. Frustrated that sheep are often in the background of books and not active participants, Arnold begs to be cast as Little Red Riding Hood. Following his initial success, he makes further suggestions about setting and dialogue and proposes that the other roles be reassigned to his animal friends. In one ponderous section, the plot visits uncharted territory as Arnold is redrawn and made thinner by a guest artist. Throughout, readers meet a muskrat and warthog, who are also looking for gigs as storybook characters, and, at last, a buffalo, who readers learn is the reteller Arnold has been interrupting. Arnold may be adorable, but his pun-heavy demands on the narrator are more annoying than cute, and the narrator's responses come across as tired and disinterested. Though the text falls flat, Atkinson's artwork is charming, and every sketch and brightly painted layered spread featuring allergy-laden Einer the muskrat is particularly delightful.

Enthusiastic Arnold is tired of sheep--such as himself--being relegated to the background in books, so he inserts himself into the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Arnold assures the unseen author-artist that he won't be sorry for including him, but he soon starts objecting to the familiar beats of the story: the foreboding woods ("Can I erase a tree or two? Bring in some more light..."), the hungry wolf ("I have this friend, Einer. He's a muskrat and would be perfect as the wolf"), and the questionable plot points (as the wolf, Einer "doesn't believe in solving problems by eating them"). As Arnold and his friends work their magic, Lodding (Painting Pepette) transforms this classic tale into a clever story about representation and inclusion; Arnold is an avid reader who never sees characters like him take center stage. Atkinson (Maxwell the Monkey Barber) emphasizes Arnold's unfailing positivity in cheerfully colored, in-your-face digital illustrations that generate a mood of creative chaos. A strong readaloud and excellent starting point for conversations about representation, character, and story. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Jennifer Unter, Unter Agency. (Aug.)