The Little Red Fish by Taeeun Yoo

The Little Red Fish by Taeeun Yoo
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian

The notion that libraries are magical places and that books are magical things is nothing new, but it's always a treat to find a new vision of that idea. In The Little Red Fish, a boy visits his librarian grandfather's place of work, bringing with him his small red friend. The boy is left alone and of course has adventures beyond expectation. The story may be familiar but what sets this book apart are the unique and captivating illustrations. They remind me a little of Edward Gorey's work, but mostly in tone and not at all in a derivative way. The Little Red Fish is one of those great books that the reader can read and re-read, noticing new things each time.

Dial, 2007