Review: THROUGH THE WOODS by Emily Carroll

There are beautiful books, and then there’s THROUGH THE WOODS by Emily Carroll.

Margaret K. McElderry, July 2014.

I haven’t read anything like this before, and perhaps this is because I don’t read as many books in graphic format as I used to, but it could also be that THROUGH THE WOODS is breaking ground. It’s a collection of short stories told in a combination of illustration and text. It has the look and feel of a graphic novel, but there’s also a but more text than you’d find in a typical comic. So, I’m going to think of it as a hybrid. A beautiful, beautiful hybrid.

In THROUGH THE WOODS, Emily Carroll explores some serious spooky folklore. I’m pretty sure that there’s a death in every single one of the shorts. Her use of color — and limited palette — is stunning and evocative. And, because she’s using the folktale/fable trope, you do see a bit of a “moral” to every story. But often that moral ends up going awry, which is absolutely delicious.

If you’re the type of reader who flocks to fairytale retellings but who is also often disappointed by these retellings’ lack of teeth and bones and bumps in the night, I am throwing this book at you. THROWING IT. Because you must read it. With the light off, under the covers, with a flashlight. Just do it. And thank me later.