“RED KNIT CAP GIRL,” by Naoko Stoop, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Hardcover, June 5, 2012, $15.99 (ages 3 and up)
Red Knit Cap Girl wonders about lots of things. In the forest, you see, there’s time for that. More than anything, Red Knit Cap Girl wonders about Moon and the possibility of talking to her. No matter how hard the girl tries, it seems the moon is just too far away.
It seems the Red Knit Cap Girl will never meet Moon, that is until Owl offers a suggestion — the moon is too far to visit, but she will bend down to listen. Soon the little girl has an idea, gathering all her forest friends for a Moon celebration. Everyone pitches in, lighting lanterns and singing, but there’s just silence. Only when they blow out the lanterns and sit quietly does the Moon appear, and together they listen to the sounds of the forest.
I’ve wanted to read “Red Knit Cap Girl” since the moment I first saw it’s cover. It’s so sweet and beautiful in it’s simplicity, how could you not? Luckily for readers, those themes carry throughout the book, which is in one word — lovely.
You won’t find any gimmicks or flashy illustrations here. Just a carefully crafted tale that will set the tone for bedtime or naptime, as the case may be. Naoko Stoop’s illustrations are stylized and unassuming and perfect for the tale. Even with the use of bold oranges and reds, her use of color is tranquil. The accompanying text flows nicely and ads to the Zen feel of the book.
