The Red Scarf by Anne Villeneuve

Villeneuve, Anne.  The Red Scarf, 40 pgs.  Tundra Books, 2010.  $19.99.  Language- G; Sexual Content-G; Violence-G; After a taxi driver finds a red scarf left behind by a customer, he sets off to find it’s owner.  The taxi driver chases a man who he believes to be the owner into a circus tent. He then unknowingly becomes involved in the circus acts!  Page after page we are introduced to strange and wonderful characters:  a roller-skating polar bear, a turbaned monkey, and a ravenous lion, etc.  We enjoyed this almost woodless book. The illustrations are fantastic!  Because it is geared for preschool and lower grades, and because it involves the study of each page to figure the story line, I rated it OPTIONAL for the buying guide for a school library. There wouldn’t be any real application to classroom use for units, themes, etc.   The book itself would be great for parents to snuggle their kids at night for story time.  EL (Pre-2nd grade)-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer:  SL