Little Red Rag

‘Little Red Rag’ is a graphic masterpiece which introduces the reader to the life of Rag, a little girl who always dresses in red. Her loneliness prompts her to escape into a fantasy world in which a herd of bulls are both her friends and foes. In fragmented images with illustrations, photos and collage as well as bits of text, Gaudesaboos paints a picture of a girl that inspires both admiration and pity.

In this adventurous book image and text go hand in hand in an unusual yet perfect way. It is not a book to leaf through quickly: each detail contributes to Little Red Rag’s inner life. The traditional story of Little Red Riding Hood has been deconstructed and is put together again in an unconventional way. With Little Red Riding Hood present only in the background, ‘Little Red Rag’ tells the pure essence of the story. In fact, the book proves that a story can be told differently. Hitching a ride on the familiar before playfully moving away from it, the book becomes a modern fairy tale about loneliness, fear and danger.