Awards: The Little Red Fort

Image:

Award: TLA 2x2

Evaluation of the book:

The illustrations of picture book The Little Red Fort appear to be drawn out of a combination of art supplies, like crayons and colored pencils. They look like they could have been drawn by a very young, creative artist. Since this book celebrates the story of Ruby, a little girl who decides to build herself a fort and succeeds in doing so even though her older brothers refuse to help, the child-like illustrations are very appropriate. The childlike illustrations help reinforce the story that celebrates childlike creativity.

In this story, all adult characters are silent. When Ruby asks her brothers to help, they each say no. Ruby then declares that she can do it herself, but each page of her actually doing it shows an adult silently helping or supporting her. In much the same way that the illustrations support childlike creativity, so too do these silent adults allow Ruby to be creative for herself. The adults don’t say no and they don’t do it for Ruby; they just silently support her in everything she does.

On the last page of the book, author Brenda Maier and illustrator Sonia Sanchez include a “build a fort of your own” that illustrates how the young readers of this book can continue the creativity of fort-building outside of the book’s pages in their own way. Sofa forts, kitchen-chair forts, snow forts, and bunk-bed forts are all ways to encourage creativity to continue even after the book is finished.

Response:

What does the text have to do with you, personally?

Myself being one of six kids, Ruby’s story of determination resonated with me. I could feel her frustration when her brother’s refused to help her; I could understand her determination to do it herself anyway. Young people and children are capable of so much; the world needs more stories that tells them this, without expecting them to change for those around them.

Critique?

The text and illustrations are a perfect combination to celebrate the importance of creativity in children’s lives. The text takes the story of the Little Red Hen and changes it into Ruby’s story building the little red fort. The illustrations look like they were drawn from children’s drawing supplies. Both take something childlike (a nursery rhyme and art supplies) and use them to tell Ruby’s story of creativity. The Little Red Fort is a very well-done picture book.

What is your overall reaction to the text?

I loved this book! I can’t wait to read it to my niece and nephew and to build forts with them afterwards.

Conclusion:

The combination of creative illustrations, rewritten nursery rhyme, and Ruby’s spunk and grit make this adorable picture book the perfect addition to any children’s library collection. I’d recommend it to any young child who might need to be encouraged in his or her creativity.

APA Style Reference:

Maier, B., & Sanchez, S. (2018). The little red fort. New York, NY: Scholastic.