The Red Book (Caldecott Honor Book) (original 2004; edition 2004)

I liked this wordless story more than expected! The fact that it was about a magical book helped, I'm sure! :-) ( )

Without overselling too terribly much, I have to say that The Red Book transcends language and culture in this fantastical tale of whimsy, friendship, and the power of books. Any explanation of the plot would simply ruin the reading of the powerful wordless book,as it must be enjoyed in the manner Barbara Lehmann intended. If you don't believe children's books are an art form, this book will at least provide a solid counter-argument if not change your mind entirely. I love the idea of using this book as a first day activity in a classroom, especially with the connection to viewing/visual representing aspects of language arts. This book is absolutely a must-read. ( )

This is a wordless picture book that takes the reader on a journey like none other and captures attention with its unique twist. This would be a great book to share with students to introduce different types of books, art, and adventure. ( )

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 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. ( )

I really enjoyed how Barbara Lehman could write this easy story, but without any words. She shows all of the characters emotions through their facial expressions. The feeling of mystery is present throughout the book, but there is also excitement there too. The book keeps the audience's attention because you don't know what it coming next until you turn of the page. I enjoyed the fact that it was a true story with a happy ending.