Open Very Carefully: A Little Red Riding Hood Book is an ingenious and highly interactive picture book that playfully breaks the fourth wall. The book begins as a faithful retelling of the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, but the narrative is quickly and hilariously interrupted by a very mischievous, very hungry crocodile who has found his way into the physical pages of the book. The reader is continuously warned to "open very carefully" as the crocodile proceeds to nibble, tear, and change the words and pictures on the page, disrupting the traditional story. It's a wonderfully clever and humorous story that celebrates books as physical, interactive objects and encourages playful interaction. It’s a laugh-out-loud choice that is perfect for stimulating imaginative play and discussions about storytelling and narrative structure.
