A stunning combination of artistry and prose, “Red Knit Cap Girl,” the first picture book by Red Hook, Brooklyn author-illustrator Naoko Stoop, is certain to become an instant classic.
Red Knit Cap Girl yearns to talk with the moon, and enlists the help of several equally adorable forest friends in pursuit of her dream. Ultimately the girl — and the 5-year-olds the book will most appeal to — reaps the reward by taking a moment to turn off the lights and noise, so that she can enjoy the natural world around her.
Stoop uses plywood as her canvas for the adventures of the child and her friend, White Bunny; the unexpected wood grain adds depth and whimsy to the illustrations. And we’re not the only ones to have been charmed — this book is the first of a series; we can’t wait to find out what the Red Knit Cap Girl will do next.
“Red Knit Cap Girl” by Naoko Stoop (Little Brown and Company), $15.99. www.lb-kids.com.
