Cherry Zong – Writer & Artist
Jean Z Lucas – Editor
Tiffany Meairs – Art Director
Julie Railsback – Production Editor
Chadd Kein – Production Manager
Andrews McMeel Publishing
$22.99 (print) / $11.99 (digital)
368 pages
Cherry Zong’s debut graphic novel Red And The Wolves is a reimagining of the classic Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale most memorably told by the Brothers Grimm. In Zong’s version Red is a teenaged girl and skilled hunter of nawa, or monsters, which roam through the forest where Red and Witch Grand Mother make their home. Thanks to Grand Mother’s teachings Red believes that all the other humans including Red’s mother have vanished from the forest because the nawa have created a blight on the land. Red is convinced that Grand Mother’s plan to trap the nawa one by one and to exorcize their life energy is the only way to save their forest domain. Red believes this is her mission. The only imaginable change Red can conceive to her calling would be for Grand Mother to die.
Red’s understanding of the world slowly begins to change the day she discovers an injured wolf girl whose name is Sil. Rather than giving into fear about someone who is different Red brings Sil to her cottage where she can heal from her wounds. That isn’t to say Red doesn’t have questions about Sil’s nature and Sil being very independent now feels vulnerable and uneasy.
There are several key changes to the Red Riding Hood parable which I find enjoyable and relevant to our contemporary world. Foremost is the slow burn romance Zong created between Red and Sil. Setbacks threaten to damage the fragile balance between them and is nearly destroyed when two of Sil’s wolf friends reappear with the intent to rescue her. Despite it all Red and Sil overcome their misgivings to find their ways back to each other and yield to their romantic desire for each other. It’s a matter of trust and willingness to listen to each other which are crucial traits to successful relationships. Grand Mother here is depicted as a powerful figure rather than the weak and bedridden character in the Brothers Grimm version. Does Grand Mother having great power mean the character accepts great responsibility per the Spider-Man principle? You’ll find the answer in the book! The moral of the original fairy tale was to be cautious even fearful of strangers. While Zong does incorporate this warning into the plot she goes beyond it to express a vital point. That being the importance of pushing through fear and questioning what we’ve been taught as truths is necessary to understanding and accepting differences in people and growing our own character by an unwillingness to blindly accept what we’re told to believe. More simply put, overcoming fears leads to enriching yourself and to greater empathy for others.
Having put Red and Sil through difficult personal challenges and a great battle to wrest control of the forest Zong gives them a passionate embrace and a hopeful future together to close this story on an open ended note. I’d very much like for there to be a sequel to this story!
Thanks to a background in animation Zong’s art has a gestural and dynamic quality which I find to be very appealing. A variety of color palettes enhance the emotional beats of her characters and the tones of different scenes. The combination of Zong’s energetic line work, page layouts, and a nuanced color approach work quite well to accentuate the plot and dialog.
A few thoughts on the book itself. While getting comfortable to sit down with the book my fingers discovered a wonderful surprise. The title logo including the decorative branches are embossed! This tactile quality is a very nice touch which obviously isn’t available in digital format. Decorative tree motif designs as chapter page breaks are quite a nice touch. The theme is consistent except for the chapter which focuses on Grand Mother fittingly has its own pattern. Page numbers in a graphic novel may seem a trivial detail to many readers but not me and their inclusion here is appreciated.
Publisher Andrews McMeel writes that readers who like Through the Woods, Blackwater, and Squad will enjoy Red And The Wolves too. Admittedly I’ve yet to read any of the aforementioned books. Having looked at a dozen or so preview pages from OverDrive available through my library I can see the crossover appeal to Emily Carrol’s Through The Woods after reading Zong’s book. My appreciation for Red comes from the story’s character driven nature, its sapphic romance, and its depiction of two women saving their world from destruction.
Visit Cherry Zong’s site for a few sample pages of Red And The Wolves and other work. Zong also posts on Tumblr and Instagram and Youtube.
Zong will have a book signing from 1 to 3 on January 17th, 2026 at Toronto’s Little Ghosts Books located at 930 Dundas Street W.
Watch the book trailer here.
Look for Red And The Wolves at your local comic shop or bookstore. Comic Shop Locator will help you find a comic shop . Check your local bookstore too! Use Bookshop to find indy bookstores near you or to order a copy. The ISBN is (978)1524877522.
Red And The Wolves is also available in the US from:
Barnes & Noble Kobo BAM! Apple Books
If all else fails or if your prefer, Amazon has print and digital copies.
Canadian retailers include:
Indigo Indie Bookstores Beguiling Books Amazon
Additional indie Canadian bookstores may be found here.
Visit this page for a list of retailers in other countries.