Book Review - 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Red Riding Hood' by Abie Longstaff (Writer), Lauren Beard (Illustrator)

I actually read 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Red Riding Hood', a book much later down the line in the series, published ten years after the first book, 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Rapunzel', even, before I read the latter. It was the first 'The Fairytale Hairdresser' book I saw in my local bookshop, so it was the first I read, without bothering to look further back, where, indeed, 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Rapunzel' was.

Doh (dough)!

Oh well, never mind. It doesn't matter. These books seem pretty self-contained, disregarding order, anyway.

So, 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Red Riding Hood' - a take on the 'Little Red Riding Hood' tale, starring the heroic Fairytale Hairdresser Kittie Lacey. It is fabulous, fun, and exciting.

There's surprisingly so much to unpack in this children's fairy tale picture book. What I will disclose, however, without spoiling anything, is that Kittie Lacey seems to be a detective as well as a hairdresser and adventurer. Yes, there is a mystery element to 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Red Riding Hood', and a skateboarding Red Riding Hood is the Watson to Kittie's Sherlock Holmes! (Eh... kind of, it's an exaggeration, but you get what I mean, right?).

Kittie is also a superhero (?), wearing a cape and a hairdresser's toolbelt that's similar to Batman's utility belt, and a fashion designer (?).

This pink-and-purple-haired girl's got as much range and flexibility as Barbie! As much as there are different hairstyles.

Plus she's very kind and helpful. And as I said in my review of 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Rapunzel', she's resourceful, adaptable, brave, mindful, and clever.

Kittie Lacey - a true role model and idol to girls.

'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Red Riding Hood' - it is absolutely cute, colourful, girly, action-packed, exciting, and scrumptious. It contains cute, sweet, delicious-looking baked goods - more than awesome hairstyles, even. At one point Red Riding Hood is dressed as a rainbow cake, and her grandmother an apple pie, and Kittie a Battenberg cake! I. AM. DYING!

There's a missed opportunity in not giving the Gingerbread Man an active role, in a plot revolving around a baking competition - a Great Fairytale Bake Off - I feel.

It is perhaps the first children's picture book I've seen where the villain actively tries to kill the hero in a death trap. How's that for an intense, dynamic, dramatic adventure with stakes!

In a final non-spoiler-y detail, it features more diversity than seen in 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Rapunzel'.

I also prefer its art style over the art in 'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Rapunzel'.

'The Fairytale Hairdresser and Red Riding Hood' is one of the final entries in 'The Fairytale Hairdresser' series of books, and it is the first I've read, and what has gotten me into the series, wanting to read the rest, which I will in the future.

What a surprising ride and treat!

Final Score: 4/5