Wolf's Belly
Written by John August
Illustrated by Simon Estrada
New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2026. Comics. 312 pages.
Just because you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood doesn't mean you really know what happened. For starters, did you know her name was Lu? Or that she didn't stumble on the Wolf by accident? Eager to prove she belonged in a family full of talented brothers, sisters, and parents; Lu traveled into the woods to hunt and slay the wolf—visiting Granny was just a ruse. Unfortunately, Lu was swallowed whole by the wolf before she got the chance. In Wolf's Belly, Lu finds a community of people who had been swallowed by the wolf including her grandmother and famous characters from other folktales. Determined to escape, Lu begins a quest to slay the beast and find her way out.
Reading this graphic novel is a cinematic experience with panels full of atmospheric details. So many fractured fairy tales follow similar routes, but this Red Riding Hood story is completely unique and incredibly inventive. Full of adventure, humor, and deep questions about morality and the human condition, this has all the trappings of a classic.

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