Redlocks and the Three Bears - by Claudia Rueda (Hardcover)

About the Book

In this fairy tale mash-up, the Three Bears get an unexpected visit from Redlocks (otherwise known as Little Red Riding Hood), who's fled her book to get away from the wolf--and the Bears, with some help from the Three Little Pigs, need to mediate between Redlocks and the misunderstood wolf.

Book Synopsis

Goldilocks meets Little Red Riding Hood in this charming and unexpected fairytale mashup from the New York Times bestselling Illustrator of Easter Cat!

KNOCK! KNOCK! When the Three Bears answer the door, it's not Goldilocks they meet, but a stranger from a different story. It's Little Red Riding Hood--and the Big Bad Wolf is close behind her! Still, much unfolds as expected: porridge is eaten, a chair is broken, and there is a girl asleep in Baby Bear's bed. Does Little Red fit in this book after all? Perhaps it's the Wolf who will surprise us. With a bit of courage and much compassion, the Bears and Little Red learn that characters, just like the stories we tell, can change over time.

In this quirky combination of familiar fairy tales, Claudia Rueda tells a new story about what happens when we open our minds, hearts, and homes to the utterly unexpected.

FAIRYTALES--WITH A TWIST: From the original mind of Claudia Rueda, this fresh take on classic fairy tales is an inspired nod to the storytelling tradition and reveals how some of our most beloved, time-honored children's stories interact with each other . . . literally, and with hilarity. This fairytale mashup will charm even the most jaded of readers with its humor, its wild and endearing characters, and its unexpected meta twists.

FOR FANS OF.: Sure to be read side-by-side with mash-up classics like Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and David Wiesner's The Three Pigs!

MILLENNIAL LITTLE RED: Little Red Riding Hood has got a punk personality and aesthetic. She breaks down the barriers that stand in her way, including escaping traditional narratives and endings.

EMPATHY FOR THE WOLF: Is The Big Bad Wolf really so big, and really so bad? Approach a "villain" with a little empathy, and you may just make a new friend!

INSPIRED BY BOOKS: Inspired by antique books, Claudia Rueda has infused this book with classic bookmaking, from flourishes on book covers and type design, to playing with meta touches like walking between books, past title pages, and in to other stories.

CURRICULUM TIE-IN: Perfect for teachers and librarians looking for tools for teaching about storytelling and narrative.

Perfect for: For fans of fairytale mash-ups, parents, educators

Review Quotes

"Rueda . . . embraces the art of storytelling with ornamentation on otherwise all-text pages reminiscent of early illustrated books. Her textured colored-pencil pictures featuring friendly, rotund characters in spare but warm surroundings lend an air of coziness to this clever tale. A handwritten scrap of paper containing 'Mama's Porridge secret recipe' appears on the back endpapers for any hungry little (wolf) readers out there."-The Horn Book Magazine

"Softly rounded pencil illustrations catch the eye with luminous blends of colors and delicate lines, while attractive typesetting and decorative borders lend a storybook aesthetic to the pages. The uncomplicated prose makes for an appealing read-aloud, and positive themes of empathy and understanding will resonate with audiences of all ages."--School Library Journal

"Soft, overlapping strokes of colored pencils define the rounded forms of the characters, the curving shapes of their surroundings, and the delicate drawings framing the text. From the tone of the text to the look of the art, there's a gentle quality to this pastiche that gives it considerable child-appeal. An amusing choice for kids who know their nursery tales."-Booklist

"The book starts with just the right amount of sweetness and snark, with the affectionate, adorable bear family counterbalanced by the chaotic (though just as adorable) whirlwind of Little Red. . . . The filigree-like framing of the text underscores the fairy tale feel here, and the delicate hatching and muted tones of the colored pencil art keep the illustrations gentle but focused. . . ."-The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Rueda's punchy, economical narrative and the clear typeface put this within reach of new readers. The gentle twist and metafictive conceit will serve as a conversation starter and may inspire other sendups and blendings of nursery plotlines and characters. An amusing and lighthearted introduction to metafiction."-Kirkus Reviews

"This is not one of those meta-mash-up fairy tales that traffics in big nudges and broad visuals: Rueda's (Bunny Overboard) understated, matter-of-fact text is set in filigreed frames to evoke the classic fairy tale volume, while her ovoid characters' shenanigans are rendered in spare, delicately textured colored pencil drawings, making for a first-rate addition to the genre."-Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Claudia Rueda is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of more than thirty-five children's books, including Bunny Slopes. She lives in Bogotá, Colombia, where she enjoys getting lost in stories. Learn more at claudiarueda.com.