Red Riding Hood: A Pop-Up Book

Rowe’s distinctive and darkly ornate vision of this fairy tale contrasts sepia-toned illustrations with stark white backgrounds to create a foreboding, multidimensional forest. Grandmother’s tidy pop-up cottage is elegantly constructed, and, in a dynamic spread, the wolf springs toward readers open-mouthed to devour Red Riding Hood. Rowe softens the story’s ending by having the Woodcutter shake the wolf to release his victims, after which the wolf escapes. The pop-ups are effective in creating a chilling forest setting, though the human characters have an eerie wooden quality. Available simultaneously: Hansel and Gretel. Ages 5–up. (Dec.)