THE LITTLE RED WOLF review

(Review by Melody Werner)
The Little Red Wolf is a 2014 all-ages graphic novel published by French publisher, Ankama Editions, which was finally localized this year (2018, at time of writing) and published by Lion Forge Comics under its Cub House imprint. Written and illustrated by Amélie Fléchais, and translated to English by Jeremy Melloul, it is a retelling of Red Riding Hood with a spin--it follows a young wolf who is sent to give food to his ailing grandmother. It seems to have attracted a lot of buzz from sites like Black Nerd Problems and Comicon. Now, I admire all-ages comics, as I find them incredibly important in expanding the industry and giving it necessary longevity. So I was interested--would this little foreign comic be another worth reading, in this surge of kid/adult-friendly titles, like Amulet and Anya's Ghost? Having finished The Little Red Wolf, I can attest that it very much is.

I feel no hesitation in saying that TLRW is a bewilderingly beautiful book. It's colorful, adorable, and yet, at times, it is intimidating all the same. It's so gorgeously vibrant, there aren't words to fully convey how lush this book is. I can imagine being a kid reading this and just being enchanted by these masterful visuals. In terms of book design, by AndWorld Design, TLRW is also exceptionally polished and just nice to look at in its astonishing elegance.

The localization job by Melloul is impeccable. It cannot be stressed enough how integral quality localization is when it comes to foreign books making the jump across the pond like this. The story, being told entirely through narration, could not be done justice with a slapdash translation job, and I tip my hat at Melloul for making it so there are no rough edges in this final release. The story itself is engaging, twisted at times, but never too much to where it could seriously scare any hypothetical young readers. It reads like what it is--a damn good fairy tale with all the satisfaction therein. The prose is nice and intriguing, flowery and foreboding.

I think about if I were a kid reading this, and I can easily see The Little Red Wolf being a truly special tale in such a "What if?". I could see this being some kid's The Iron Giant or Ferdinand, the Bull (as in the book :p). As I've grown older, I feel that I don't appreciate it as much as someone younger would--I still prefer Amulet, Anya's Ghost, and Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong. But I enjoyed it very much and it has all of my respect for what it is and what it accomplishes. It's the kind of book that carves out a special place in children's hearts which they will continue coming back to and will transcend the vapid, calculating, market-chasing idiocy we often see in other children's entertainment like The Emoji Movie, Norm of the North, and their ilk. I heartily recommend it if you're looking for a quality comic to gift your kid or something. Something with a bit of an edge that doesn't go full bore adult. The Little Red Wolf gets an 8.5/10 from me.

Great

Summary:
The Little Red Wolf doesn't have any real problems per se, it is a roundly great book and well worth the short read. It holds up regardless of age, I feel. However, I do think it doesn't hold as much flair to the older eye as other paragons of its ilk.

(originally posted: 12/31/2017)