Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf

Barr-Green contemplates a child’s emotional landscape throughout this twice-told tale. When a “too hot... smelly... loud” classroom sees Gina Kaminski heading to the school’s more sensory-friendly reading room, the child finds that reading “Little Red Riding Hood” generates difficult feelings, especially over the wolf’s ending. As Gina references a feelings chart, emoji-studded first-person text details her emotions alongside her plan to visit “fairy-tale land” and remedy the story’s three “big mistakes.” Upon arrival, the no-nonsense protagonist, now sporting a red cap, engages with the telling, responding via emoji to various experiences. When the story’s perceived mistakes are finally remedied, it makes for an empowering conclusion. Martin’s scribbly drawings have a sketch-like quality that suits this story about imagination and logic in process. Characters’ skin reflects the white of the page. Ages 4 and up. (Mar.)