I LOVE THE ARTWORK IN THIS CHILDRENS BOOK. That's what immediately drew me in. I would absolutely print some of these pages out as art for my son's room. The story was very cute. I love an adult retelling and a children's retelling was also right up my alley. I'll be buying this for my toddler as a physical book.

The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais is a dark and enchanting retelling of the Charles Perrault’s classic fairytale Little Red Riding Hood. This version of the tale follows a young wolf in a red cape traveling through the forest to his grandmother’s house to bring her a (big and juicy) rabbit.

With stunning and transportive artwork, the author manages to strike a unique balance between macabre and whimsical as we follow the little wolf on his journey. The story within the story is a great example of how the same events can be viewed or retold in drastically different ways depending on who is delivering the narrative.

This graphic novel had some of my favourite illustrations of any that I have ever read, and a story that was fun and thought-provoking without being unnecessarily long or complicated, so I was able to completely immerse myself in the fairytale.

I don’t know that I would recommend this to very young children because of the more graphic depictions, although I suppose it would really drill home the lesson to not trust strangers, even if they seem nice and friendly, because “nice is not the same as good”.


Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions included are my own.

I was grabbed immediately by the cover. I loved this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. It is as dark as the original and I loved it, The story was so good. It really hits you in the feels. I absolutely loved all the illustrations throughout the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I liked author Amélie Fléchais' subversion of the typical Little Red Riding Hood story. Here, the hood-wearing child is a young wolf who has to take a rabbit to his grandmother. He's urged to avoid the evil woodcutter and his daughter, who hate wolves. The little guy daydreams his way off the path, and finds lots of really interesting things to look at, and of course, gets caught by the humans. He learns about the history between the wolves and humans, both from the daughter and eventually from his father.

This gorgeously illustrated novel has a dreamy quality, but is also wonderfully dark and frightening.
It's also an interesting story of how a narrative can radically change based on one's perspective.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Oni Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Vibes: Little Red Riding Hood retelling.

My review:
Because this story takes place from a wolf pup’s perspective, it added a different layer to the classic tale. Humans are to be feared here. They are sneaky and conniving and are prone to trickery. The wolf pup gets put in danger and learns a very valuable lesson. But for a children’s book, it felt darker, and I liked that a lot.

I loved the illustrations. In fact, that’s what drew me in to pick this up - I loved the dark spin on a classic fairytale. There’s not a ton of dialogue so you really pick up how the pictures are communicating the action and telling us the story.

I’m giving this four stars only because I knew there is a major lesson to be learned here, but I was confused if there was something more here than “listen to the warnings.” I hope a child is smarter than me to pick up on whatever messages this story is conveying, because I really would purchase this for my niece or nephew and read it to them.

A charming story that takes the story of Little Red Riding Hood and flips it completely. Kids and adults will both love it. Such a clever retelling of a classic.

Gorgeous, whimsical, meaningful and a little scary. I wish I had books like this one when I was a kid :)

So what is this about? It’s an inversion of the classical Red Riding Hood fairytale. A naive wolf pup is sent by his mother to take food (a dead rabbit) to his grandma (her teeth are gone, so she can’t hunt any more). His mom warns him not to stray away - he might meet the evil hunter and his evil daughter. Obviously, the scary vision of the monstrous humans is not enough to keep him on the right path, and chilling adventures ensue.

For kids, the best part of this book will definitely be the artwork and the myriad mysterious and dark details. I’m an adult, so what I loved most was the ecological message - wolves aren’t evil, they just eat to survive, while humans kill because they can - and because they can’t (or don’t bother to) understand.

Smart storytelling, gorgeous artwork - a pleasant (and chilly) surprise.

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.

What a super twist to a classic and much loved story. The use of colour to emphasis whether the characters were in danger or safe was a lovely addition.

This was lovely. It reminded me a lot of the sorties of authors like Daria Schmitt, Emily Carroll (although less dark) or Jo Rioux. So its just nice, soft, sad and nostalgic but beautifully executed

Loosely based on "Little Red Riding Hood" by Perrault, this comic follows a young wolf with a red cape who is delivering some food to his grandma.
Despite his mother's warning not to enter the eerie forest, the little wolf finds himself there.

It's a nice twist from the original. Closer enough to feel like a story that we know but with some twists to keep us guessing.

I would say, the star of this book is the art. The watercolor work is incredible, the use of color is very atmospheric and the character design it's great. Even when some character looks very cute, you can feel there's something else going on.

Regarding the plot, it has a nice twist but I felt it was rushed. This is one of the instances in which I would love the book to be longer. It made sense and felt complete but "the human side" felt a little underdeveloped and I wanted to know more.

Still, a great read, darker than I expected parental discretion is advised.

In a Nutshell: An interesting graphic novel that retells ‘Red Riding Hood’ from the point of view of the wolf. Different in plotline, but as dark as (or possibly darker than) the original. Quirky and deep.

Story Synopsis:
A little wolf wears his beloved red cape and trots off across the forest to deliver some yummy dead rabbits to his grandma. His mother warns him not to stride away from the path, but kids being kids, the wolf goes meandering here and there and everywhere, until he finds himself lost. As he plops down on the forest floor crying his heart out, a sweet girl approaches him and offers to help him. But as we all know, the forest can’t be home to any sweet girl.


This graphic novel was originally published in French under the title ‘Le Petit Loup Rouge’ in 2014. This English translation by Jeremy Melloul comes out in October 2023.

‘Red Riding Hood’ has never been among my favourite fairy tales as I could never fathom how a girl misunderstood a wolf to be her grandmother. Thankfully, this modified version avoids that silly scene, providing a more sensible experience on the whole.

The little wolf is a typical youngster, agreeing to what his mother says and then doing his own thing. When his stomach started growling and he wondered about eating some parts of the yummy rabbit he was carrying to his grandma’s, his enthusiastic justifications alleviated the macabre feel of the scene. It was a weird yet funny experience.

I loved the angle taken in the second half, even though a couple of important scenes were rushed. It offers a great example of how deflection of blame works in clearing oneself of wrongdoing and shoving the onus onto someone else. The animal vs. human angle also comes out well through the plot, as does the tendency to judge others by looks.

Moreover, many people assume that fairy tales are happy stories, courtesy the abridged versions and adaptations that have flooded the market. (I am looking at you, Disney!) I love how this story retains the darkness of the original while still offering its young readers some solace at the end.

At the same time, I think this version sanitises the image of wolves a tad too much. They might be related to our beloved dogs, but they are predators as well, albeit not selfish ones as humans are. Making the wolves sound as adorable as their domesticated canine counterparts isn’t justifiable. Also, the wolf is a pack animal, so I didn’t agree with the depiction of the wolf family as a nuclear unit, on the lines of human families. The final rescue also should have surely involved the pack.

A note at the beginning mentions that this book is loosely based on the tale ‘The Red Riding Hood’ by Charles Perrault. However, the ending of the Perrault version was much darker, and definitely disappointing to HEA lovers. This graphic adaptation provides a somewhat more satisfying, if sombre, ending. While the ending is easy to guess, it is still a great one as it drives home the point of the story without using too much moralising.

Though this is a fairy tale retelling, it is definitely not for younger children, especially sensitive littlies who might burst into tears at seeing a cute (dead) rabbit being chomped off in bits and pieces. But to the teen crowd and older readers, the retelling offers much to think about.

The illustrations are marvellous. They fall into two distinct colour tones. When the little wolf is in a safer position walking through the jungle, we have the bright greens and yellows of the forest popping out from the page. But when his journey turns dangerous, the colour palette becomes somewhat monochromatic, with all the colours muted except for red, thus serving to intensify the danger. I loved the artwork, even when it was too creepy. It was perfect for the story.

All in all, I enjoyed this graphic adaptation of the fairy tale to a great extent. Appropriately dark and filled with important themes, it offers a satiating experience to the eyes as well as to the mind.

4.25 stars. (I read this with my elder daughter. She gave it 4.5, I gave it a 4. Averaging the two ratings.)


My thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Little Red Wolf”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The little red wolf follows a similar tale as the little red riding hood, except this time we follow a young wolf who sets off to deliver some food to his grandmother.
During his travel to his grandmother the curiosity of the wolf gets the better of him and despite the warning not to enter the eerie forest our young pup can’t help but follow some little critters, eventually finding himself in some trouble with the hunter after his daughter encounters the wolf.

The art in this book is simply the life of the story, a beautiful, whimsical water paint style created stunning scenery and gorgeous characters capable of telling the story on their own.

Book could be suitable for children and make for an enjoyable read but it include death.

In a twist on the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Red Wolf follows a young wolf in red through the eerie forest on his way to his grandmother's with a fresh rabbit. Along the way he will experience incredibly relatable feelings of curiosity, hunger, and anxiety before he meets a seemingly good human child. However, the young wolf's desperation to trust leads him into a potentially deadly predicament. Only after he is freed is the full backstory revealed.

The quality of the artwork cannot be overstated. The illustrations are, in turns, stunningly gorgeous, sumptuously eerie, and beautifully frightening. An impeccable read.

This is a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. The illustrations are whimsical and stunning, reminiscent of Mrs. Mighetto’s enchanting illustrations. The story takes an adorable little wolf on a journey that begins innocently enough but turns sinister. There is an unexpected twist and a sad ending. The events convey the important lesson of never trust a book by its cover. While this story may be too scary for young children, teens and adults who like Grimm’s Fairy Tales will enjoy this book as it has a similar vibe.

My thanks to Oni Press for a review copy via NetGalley of ‘The Little Red Wolf’ written and illustrated by Amélie Fléchais. It was translated
from the French by Jeremy Melloul.

This illustrated book is an enchanting retelling of Charles Perrault’s classic tale Little Red Riding Hood, that turns the tale on its head with wolves as the victims of humans.

Once upon a time in the depths of a thick and mysterious forest there lived a family of wolves, including a wolf cub, who always dressed in red. Everyone called him Little Red Wolf.

One day his mother asks him to deliver a rabbit to his grandmother. She warns him to avoid the part of the forest where a hunter, who hates wolves, lives with his daughter. Red sets out but soon becomes distracted and strays from the trail. He realises that he is lost and is very afraid. Then he meets a nice little girl who offers to help him. Oh dear, little red wolf! She may seem nice but is she good?

This was such a sweet story. However, I will warn that some of its themes are quite dark and there is some macabre imagery, such as the dead bunny’s head sticking out of Red’s bindle as he travels through the forest. Well, he is a wolf. Still, parents might want to screen if purchasing for younger readers.

I found Amélie Fléchais’ artwork spectacular. Her use of colour was sublime with delicate details that reminded me of folk art. Each page was a delight.

I love wolves and so adored this tale that throws a different light on them. I also like bunnies so I felt a bit sad about that aspect of the story though wolves are wolves, even if dressed in embroidered capes.

Overall, ‘The Little Red Wolf’ was pure magic and as I want a physical copy to enjoy I have preordered its paperback edition.

Book Review 📚
The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais - 4.5/5 ⭐

This is my very first time reading a graphic novel and I honestly don't think anything else will ever compare. It was absolutely brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The illustrations were so beautifully done. Intense, dark and mind blowingly enchanting. Such detail went in to each and every part of the illustrations and I can't stop thinking about them.

I loved the role reversal part of the story, I was going for a retelling but was pleasantly surprised. It was fantastic. It's most definitely a darker version of the OG story, but right up my street.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

An adorable graphic novel that turns the tables on Little Red Riding Hood.

The Little Red Wolf is a graphic novel that follows a little red wolf that lives in a mysterious forest. The young wolf sets out on a journey to bring his grandmother a rabbit when he is charmed by a nice little girl who offers to help him. But nice is not the same as good.

THIS GRAPHIC IS TOO ADORABLE. I just absolutely loved it. The art is gorgeous and the story is amazing. You need to read this one now!

I cannot race enough about the illustrations in this book! They are absolutely gorgeous and so beautifully done. They are perfect for bringing the story to life and making it feel very magical. The story itself was lovely.. Very much a cautionary tale of perspective and grief. i will be happy to add a copy to my home library!

You know how it goes: there's a curious child, a worried mother, a meal to deliver to a frail grandmother. An errand through the forest. A chat with a stranger. And menace lurking. Except this time the curious child is the wolf, and the stranger in the forest is the girl, and the crux of the story is the mystery about who is more of a menace to whom.

But what does it all mean? The traditional versions of Little Red Riding Hood have given rise to all sorts of interpretations: a didactic fable about obeying your elders, a remnant of matriarchal initiation rites, a summarized model of heliolatrous cosmology, a Freudian dream of death and reemergence, an allegory of sexual assault. Amélie Fléchais, in her retelling The Little Red Wolf, recently translated into English by Jeremy Melloul, chooses to focus on the most salient theme that this story has always presented to young readers: the fear of untamed nature.

When the wolf loses his way in the forest and meets the little girl, she regales him with a song about the origin of the enmity between the hunter and the wolves. But the wolves remember a different song, one that completes the story and makes you want to reread the book and catch the visual clues that were there all along.

The illustrations fulfill this role outstandingly. "Show, don't tell" has always been a dubious rule, but if there's any art form where it would be wiser to follow it, it's graphic novels. In The Little Red Wolf, the text is precise and just sufficient, while the images are evocative of a deeper plot underneath what's said. The secrets hidden in the forest are heightened by ironic contrast with the gentle choice of palette. Both wolf and human faces eschew anatomic accuracy and go for pure emotion. With his huge eyes and tiny snout, the little wolf is a harmless creature that just wants to see everything the world has; with his overgrown beard and haughty expression, the hunter is a force of nature more fearsome than any beast.

Upon reading the promotional blurb, The Little Red Wolf might sound like your average fairy tale reversal. However, when the full backstory is revealed, the picture that emerges is more complex than just a switching of roles. Each party in this human-wolf conflict holds a portion of the truth, and few readings are more stimulating to the young mind than a tale told through conflicting versions none of which can be ignored. When you figure out that the reason this forest has a hunter of wolves is the same reason this wolf wears a red cape, your understanding of the plot goes full circle, and with that richer perspective, you'll want to go through the experience again.

Nerd Coefficient: 7/10.

'The Little Red Wolf' is a retelling of the famous Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale... but it has a twist to it!

It places a young wolf in the red cape on a journey to his grandmother's house...
He has very explicit instructions from his mom but, somehow, gets distracted and lost, leading him into unknown danger…

The illustrations throughout the book were amazing and assisted with the telling of the tale.

I personally thought, this book is for older children or would be better for younger children if read with an adult! However, I loved reading it by myself and with my young daughter equally.