Status
Available
Call number
Publication
HMH Books for Young Readers (2004), Edition: Illustrated, 32 pages
Series
Collection
Description
A book about a book, a magical red book, without any words, and the friendship that develops around it.
User reviews
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
A young girl, making her way through a wintry urban landscape in this wordless picture-book, happens upon a red book lying in the snow, and, picking it up and bringing it with her to school, is soon engrossed in its pages, which depict a tropical island paradise. Imagine her surprise when the young
The artwork here is just delightful, particularly the winter scenes (I have always loved winter landscapes, which never fail to enchant me with their sense of depth, mystery, and magic), and well worthy of the Caldecott Honor that they won. The story, such as it is, reminded me a bit of another wordless picture-book, David Wiesner's Flotsam, which also features a connection made to far-off people and places, through a found object, although I have to say that the sense of story in Wiesner's book is far stronger than here. I really enjoyed the initial premise, but somehow, once the girl seized her balloons and floated off, I was less thrilled. Somehow, it seemed like more of an abandonment of the story, than a conclusion to it, and stands in stark contrast, in my mind, to the similar tale in Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski's Hey, Al which also features a magical trip to a tropical paradise.
Still, I don't want to overstate the case. The Red Book is still an enjoyable book, and although I wouldn't put it in the rank of my favorites - either when it comes to wordless picture-books, or magical realist travel adventures - I still enjoyed it.
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boy in the book, sitting on a sandy beach and reading himself, is looking at an illustrations of her city, and of her! Determined to reach this new friend, made in a moment of magical connection, the girl buys a large bunch of balloons after school, and flies away to join him, leaving the red book behind, to be discovered anew...The artwork here is just delightful, particularly the winter scenes (I have always loved winter landscapes, which never fail to enchant me with their sense of depth, mystery, and magic), and well worthy of the Caldecott Honor that they won. The story, such as it is, reminded me a bit of another wordless picture-book, David Wiesner's Flotsam, which also features a connection made to far-off people and places, through a found object, although I have to say that the sense of story in Wiesner's book is far stronger than here. I really enjoyed the initial premise, but somehow, once the girl seized her balloons and floated off, I was less thrilled. Somehow, it seemed like more of an abandonment of the story, than a conclusion to it, and stands in stark contrast, in my mind, to the similar tale in Arthur Yorinks and Richard Egielski's Hey, Al which also features a magical trip to a tropical paradise.
Still, I don't want to overstate the case. The Red Book is still an enjoyable book, and although I wouldn't put it in the rank of my favorites - either when it comes to wordless picture-books, or magical realist travel adventures - I still enjoyed it.
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LibraryThing member ambourg7
The Red Book was very interesting. The use of no words caught my attention. The Red Book made me come up with different cenerios that could happen every time I turned the page. This is a great book to allow students to actually start thinking of whats going to come next. Random connections and
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friendships are strong points. Show Less
LibraryThing member dcoops2
This book iis an excellent source for children of all ages to develope their critical thinking skills. With this book the pictures helpss the child use his/her imargination to create his /her own story since there are no words written.
A simple picture can be translated into thousands of diferent
A simple picture can be translated into thousands of diferent
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stories and forms. Such simplicity can be translated into volumes of thoughts and expressions of everyday life. Show Less
LibraryThing member cvyork
It is interesting how riveting and emotionally-evoking a wordless picture book can be!!
LibraryThing member Shastan
Excellent children's book, illustrated, no print. A girl finds a red book, and in it is a boy who finds a red book, in that is her, looking at him . . . . wonderful. Imaginative.
LibraryThing member isaacfellows
This one bends the mind quite pleasantly, like a Wiesner book with softer and more artful, less illustrative pictures. Doing a storytime with older preschoolers or early elementary students where they take turns telling the story would be fun.
LibraryThing member dylantanner
On a snowy day a girl finds a bright red book. As she reads the magical tale of a boy on an island she sees him reading her.
Children's Picture Book Wordless
This book is so much fun! I love the way that the story slowly grows as the girl gets more and more lost in her book. The illustrations are
Everything is connected. What a great way to play off the idea that reading not only tells us about ourselves, but connects us no matter what our lives are like.
Children's Picture Book Wordless
This book is so much fun! I love the way that the story slowly grows as the girl gets more and more lost in her book. The illustrations are
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gorgeous and the twist is so meta.Everything is connected. What a great way to play off the idea that reading not only tells us about ourselves, but connects us no matter what our lives are like.
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LibraryThing member raizel
A strange little story about a girl who finds a red book in a snowy city. The illustrations are colorful and simple.
SPOILER: Inside her copy the illustrations include a picture of a boy on a beach who finds a red book with illustrations that include a picture of her. With the help of a bunch of
I should go back and read the Caldecott Medal books, David Wiesner's Flotsam and Arthur Yorkinks' Hey Al, and The Red Balloon to see if they are as related to this book as I think.
SPOILER: Inside her copy the illustrations include a picture of a boy on a beach who finds a red book with illustrations that include a picture of her. With the help of a bunch of
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balloons, she travels to his location. The book falls as she leaves the city, we see from the open book that she is welcomed by the boy, and a man picks up the book. To have the same adventure? There is a house beyond the boy's beach, so they are not stranded on a desert island; I would have worried otherwise. Contrasts are shown between city and beach, winter and summer, snow and sunshine, girl and boy.I should go back and read the Caldecott Medal books, David Wiesner's Flotsam and Arthur Yorkinks' Hey Al, and The Red Balloon to see if they are as related to this book as I think.
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LibraryThing member morgantk
I don't really like this book. I tried to "read" or look at the pictures (since there aren't any words) several times and I don't know if I get the story. I wouldn't share this book with anyone. I have seen other wordless books done much better.
LibraryThing member ejhamilton
This book is about a book. it is about a magical red book without any words. When you turn the pages you experience a new kind of adventure.In illustrations of rare detail and surprise, This book crosses oceans and continents to deliver one girl into a new world where a friend she's never met is
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waiting. And at the conclusion of the story, the journey is not over a new person gets the book and starts the journey all over again. The illustrations seem to be hand drawn and not very colorful. Show Less
LibraryThing member mlcraft
This book is wordless but about a journey to deliever a girl into a world of possibilities. It crosses oceans and continents with simple illustrations the convey a deeper meaning.
LibraryThing member mirandamae18
A great wordless book that we be fun for any age. The pictures are amazing and show such movement. I also love that the story flows, even without words. I especially think my first graders would enjoy this book and I think it would it well with our color unit in September. I would love to show this
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book on the document camera and then let my kids write their own stories for the pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member mchristman
This is a good example of fantasy because the author creates a world that requires the reader to put aside the norms of our world. The children in the book can see each other in the Red Book and the girl flies with balloons to see the boy.
Plot: This is a good example of an episodic plot because
Age Appropriateness: Primary
Plot: This is a good example of an episodic plot because
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there is not a conflict. The girl and boy see each other in the book and the girl finds the boy at the end, but there is not a struggle they have to overcome.Age Appropriateness: Primary
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LibraryThing member nancyjensen
This is a wordless picture book. Most of the book is drawn in shades of black and white and gray. The exception is a small red journal book. This story chronicles the journey of the magic red book as it connects two lonely children through its illustrations. Virtual reality is closer than you
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think. It's not just a click away in this story, instead just turn the page and enter into the next adventure. I thought this book was well done. I would use it in grades 2 and up as a writing prompt, have the students create a subtitle for each page or a caption for each illustration, much like a storyboard. Show Less
LibraryThing member mmuncy
This wordless picture book is about a girl and a boy in different places who each find a red book. The book is about the other child, but since they are each reading the books, they can also see themselves. The girl decides to go visit the boy, so she buys a bunch of balloons. While in the air she
This book was suprisingly deep for having no words!
To me this book was a little bit like having a pen pal. For an activity I would get in touch with another teacher in the surrounding area and coordinate our students writing to eachother.
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drops her book, so the boy can't see her, but she does make it to him. At the end of the story another boy finds the book the girl dropped.This book was suprisingly deep for having no words!
To me this book was a little bit like having a pen pal. For an activity I would get in touch with another teacher in the surrounding area and coordinate our students writing to eachother.
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LibraryThing member sprovost
In the Red Book, a little girl living in an urban city during winter discovers a red book on her walk to school. As she peers into the book at school she discovers a little island on a map where she spots a boy who also finds a red book. When the boy opens the red book, he discovers a map that
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leads him to see the little girl with the red book. The little girl then goes on an adventure to find her new friend. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jenlovely
A boy finds a red book in the snow. The book is intriguing to him and he picks it up and longs to look at the pages. When he opens it it takes him to a place that is sunny and warm, not snowy like where he was. Then the book s in another persons hands and they see him in the book and decides to go
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and visit. Then the book is then transferred to another person and the story continues. The book seems to be referring to the power of stories and how they are handed through time. I thought the book may be a bit confusing to some children, but could be used to show the strength of illlustrations in a story. Show Less
LibraryThing member PatrickNavas
Barbara Lehman’s Red Book is an entirely wordless children’s book that received the Caldecott Honor in 2005, the most distinguished American picture book award for children.
Although the pictures are colorful, simple and clear, I don’t think the story line is as easy to follow as McCully’s
As far as I can tell, the interpretation of the story could be as follows: A little girl in the city is on her way to school when she finds a red book buried in the snow. She picks up the book and takes it to school. When she finally looks inside the book, she finds the same thing that happened to her happens to a little boy in the book. That is, the little boy in the book also finds a book that he looks into only to come into contact with her! Eventually, the little boy and girl actually meet, when the little girl is carried off by a bunch of balloons only to land in the island where the boy is.
Red Book is a remarkably creative and fun wordless picture book. Like, Four Hungry Kittens, it is a wonderful representative of wordless genre. It forces readers to pay close attention to the pictures in order to figure out the extraordinary story line. That is precisely what makes the book such an excellent resource for parents and children to use together.
Although the pictures are colorful, simple and clear, I don’t think the story line is as easy to follow as McCully’s
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Four Hungry Kittens.As far as I can tell, the interpretation of the story could be as follows: A little girl in the city is on her way to school when she finds a red book buried in the snow. She picks up the book and takes it to school. When she finally looks inside the book, she finds the same thing that happened to her happens to a little boy in the book. That is, the little boy in the book also finds a book that he looks into only to come into contact with her! Eventually, the little boy and girl actually meet, when the little girl is carried off by a bunch of balloons only to land in the island where the boy is.
Red Book is a remarkably creative and fun wordless picture book. Like, Four Hungry Kittens, it is a wonderful representative of wordless genre. It forces readers to pay close attention to the pictures in order to figure out the extraordinary story line. That is precisely what makes the book such an excellent resource for parents and children to use together.
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LibraryThing member cassiusclay
personal response: My first wordless picture book. This was an amazing story. I have always liked the "picture of a picture of a picture, of a picture, and so on" concept as the author has drawn in the back above her bio. This is a similar concept and is also featured on one page in the book. The
Grades preschool and up
curricular connections:
Great opportunity for a very young child to tell the story to their parent or an older person.
Some of the imagery contains concepts that are a bit complex so it would be a great opportunity to have the child tell you what they see and walk through the images with them
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complexity of ideas in this book is amazing and would really be great to expand a child's imagination.Grades preschool and up
curricular connections:
Great opportunity for a very young child to tell the story to their parent or an older person.
Some of the imagery contains concepts that are a bit complex so it would be a great opportunity to have the child tell you what they see and walk through the images with them
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LibraryThing member ptnguyen
On her way to school, a girl finds a red book in the snowbank. At school, she peeps into the book and finds a friend waiting for her in a green island on a sandy beach. After school, she buys a bunch of balloons and sets sail for her friend on the green island. As she sails over buildings, the red
I really like both of these books because they deal with friendship and sacrifice. Both of these books have one character who goes to extreme in the name of friendship. The only difference is that in the Clown book, the mood is both sad and happy as Clown battles to save himself and his friends. Meanwhile, The Red Book has a happy mood as the girl crosses oceans and continents to meet her friend.
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book slips from her hands and lands the ground. However, the girl finally lands on the beach and meets her new friend. Meanwhile, a boy picks up the red book in the snow and rides away in his bicycle. Somewhere a friend is waiting for him.I really like both of these books because they deal with friendship and sacrifice. Both of these books have one character who goes to extreme in the name of friendship. The only difference is that in the Clown book, the mood is both sad and happy as Clown battles to save himself and his friends. Meanwhile, The Red Book has a happy mood as the girl crosses oceans and continents to meet her friend.
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LibraryThing member Purr4kitty2003
I chose two books by this particular author because I found her wordless books to be the most imaginative and interesting of all that I saw, save Alda’s. In Trainstop, the heroine, a young girl, takes a train ride. She looks out the windows and sees the world rushing past. When the train stops,
In The Red Book, a young girl finds a red book in the snow. Inside she sees an island with a beautiful warm beach. On this same beach, a boy finds a red book in the sand. He opens it to see the young girl in the snow. The young girl buys tons of balloons and floats away to the island, where she meets the young boy. However, in her flight, she drops the red book. She arrives at the island, and the last picture is of a man on a bike finding the red book.
Both of these books have fantastic illustrations. The style itself is pretty simple, but it is the story behind, that one must create! I really like wordless books because they inspire so much discussion and imagination, and the basic premise of each of these books is already extremely imaginative. They inspire so many questions, such as, where did the little people come from? How many red books are there? How do the little people know where the girl lives? How does the girl get to the island without the red book? What will happen to the man on the bicycle, now that he has the red book? I love imagination-inspiring literature, and Lehman’s work does this in spades. If I had to choose between the two, I would pick The Red Book, because I think the premise is just so fantastic. I am using another of her books, Rainstorm, for my Narration assignment.
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she sees all of the adults asleep. She ventures out to have a very Brobdinagian experience with some tiny people who have lost their small plane in the tree. She retrieves it for them, runs back to the train and continues on. When she gets home, the little people fly in and give her a gift in thanks. In The Red Book, a young girl finds a red book in the snow. Inside she sees an island with a beautiful warm beach. On this same beach, a boy finds a red book in the sand. He opens it to see the young girl in the snow. The young girl buys tons of balloons and floats away to the island, where she meets the young boy. However, in her flight, she drops the red book. She arrives at the island, and the last picture is of a man on a bike finding the red book.
Both of these books have fantastic illustrations. The style itself is pretty simple, but it is the story behind, that one must create! I really like wordless books because they inspire so much discussion and imagination, and the basic premise of each of these books is already extremely imaginative. They inspire so many questions, such as, where did the little people come from? How many red books are there? How do the little people know where the girl lives? How does the girl get to the island without the red book? What will happen to the man on the bicycle, now that he has the red book? I love imagination-inspiring literature, and Lehman’s work does this in spades. If I had to choose between the two, I would pick The Red Book, because I think the premise is just so fantastic. I am using another of her books, Rainstorm, for my Narration assignment.
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LibraryThing member ChristineRobinson
This is the first wordless picture book I read, leading me on to read many more. It is a fascinating story of a magical book and a little girl who finds it. The illustrations are simple yet detailed and one can read it over and over and each time find something not seen the last time around. This
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book enthralled my own children and they spent a lot of time looking at the pages, and telling each other the story. A must read/own for parents wishing to foster a sense of imagination in their young children. Show Less
LibraryThing member NataliaLucia
Personal Response: I enjoyed the whimsical story line. I believe that I would have really been intrigued by this book as a child.
Curricular Connection: In a Kindergarten classroom at circle time, children could take turns narrating the pages. Each student would have the opportunity to discuss a
Curricular Connection: In a Kindergarten classroom at circle time, children could take turns narrating the pages. Each student would have the opportunity to discuss a
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page if they choose. Pages can be repeated if the class is very large. Afterwards students could talk about the strange events in the pictures. Show Less
LibraryThing member tnelson725
This wordless picture book is a Caldecott Honor Book with a science fiction story. It is the tale of a young girl who find a book with a red cover in the snow on her way to school. While she is at school, she opens up her book and squares turn into a map, which turns into an island, which turns
I thought this was very clever and inventive. It was one of the better ones that I have read in a while and I really think that young children will enjoy looking at the pictures and interpreting the story.
A fun activity for students with this book would be to have then make their own story with their own picture. It would also be a good book to talk about opposites. For instance, the girl's environment was the opposite of the books. The kids could discuss what the opposite of their environment could be.
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into a sandy beach. On the sandy beach, the girl see a young boy who finds a book in the sand, who has a similar experience until he is looking back at her. The girl buys a bunch of helium balloons and makes it to her new friend, but she drops the book on her way. The book is picked up by another child, making the story come full circle.I thought this was very clever and inventive. It was one of the better ones that I have read in a while and I really think that young children will enjoy looking at the pictures and interpreting the story.
A fun activity for students with this book would be to have then make their own story with their own picture. It would also be a good book to talk about opposites. For instance, the girl's environment was the opposite of the books. The kids could discuss what the opposite of their environment could be.
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LibraryThing member caltstatt
On her way to school one day, a young girl see a bright red book sticking out of the snow along the sidewalk. She hurriedly picks the book up and makes her way to class. While in class, she can't help but take the book out and look at it. At first she sees only a map of islands, but as the pages
This was my favorite of the wordless picture books. The story is so in-depth, I had to focus on each page to see what was really happening.
Young children could speculate as to what the new owner of the book might find. They could do this orally or if they know how to write, they could write their own story.
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turn, she is able to look closer at an island with a boy walking in the sand. He also finds a red book and sits down to look at it. The boy is surprised to see a snowy city at first and then as the pages turn, he can see the girl in her classroom. They are amazed at this. As the girl leaves school, she spots a man selling a great bunch of bright colored balloons. She buys the balloons and is soon being taken off the sidewalk and flying through the air. But, as she is traveling through the sky, she drops the book and the boy is very sad. Just before the story's end the girl reaches the island with the boy and her dropped book is picked up by another boy and who knows what or who he will see when he opens it up.This was my favorite of the wordless picture books. The story is so in-depth, I had to focus on each page to see what was really happening.
Young children could speculate as to what the new owner of the book might find. They could do this orally or if they know how to write, they could write their own story.
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Subjects
Awards
Caldecott Medal (Honor Book — 2005)
Red Clover Book Award (Nominee — 2006)
CCBC Choices (2005)
Notable Children's Book (2005)
Language
Original publication date
2004
ISBN
0618428585 / 9780618428588
UPC
046442428583
Lexile
L
LCC
PZ7.L526 R