A vibrant, evocative and magical debut which centres a positive, empowered disabled character at the heart of a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood.
The woods are hiding a secret… but then so is Red…
Red is not allowed to go into the woods. Everyone knows that they are dangerous – because of their strange magic and the wolves that lurk there… But Red finds herself increasingly drawn to the woods and the place where her grandmother disappeared without a trace three years ago. When the woodcutter fails to return home one night and wolves are spotted close to the village boundary, fear drives a deep and dangerous divide between the villagers and the nature they live alongside.
Only Red seems to hold the key – but she has a secret, and exposing it could ruin her family forever …
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This is a powerful tale that celebrates difference and the power that individuals have to change their world. Beautifully written with many different layers it can be read and interpreted in different ways but at its heart it is a very good tale. The content and themes make this book suitable for Secondary students would be a great read for a book club.
21 Aug 2025
Some complicated themes for Year 3, but an excellent read with a disabled hero
