The Red Prince

K-Gr 3—In the absence of a boy's royal parents, strangers have invaded the island kingdom of Avala and imprisoned the young prince. Shortly after this disheartening start, the boy and his dog manage to escape. As the prince makes his way to the capital, his distinctive red pajamas draw the attention of his pursuers. Fortunately, the people are willing to help, and in their final act of defiance, the nation unites to save its beloved royal; the predominant blues get swept away by a sea of red. At all times, the illustrator's digital coloring is dazzling and evocative, establishing a tone of tension and courage. Even the background color of the text boxes reflects this by changing to tonal hues. As a whole, the visuals have a cinematic quality; shots are nicely framed and showcase a variety of perspectives to pull readers in. While the narration only summarizes events, some sequential images do flesh out the details. Older readers will find it difficult to believe that a horde of unarmed people could possibly drive an armed force away so peaceably. However, those who accept the fairy tale-like setting will have no problem seeing the charm of this optimistic tale.