Seeing Red

Although she hates the red petticoat she must wear as part of her village's traditional Cornish clothing, Trewenna comes up with a plan that saves the day by using the scratchy petticoats to stop Napolean's army from invading her homeland.

Grade 1-3-This humorous story is based on an old Cornish legend involving a supposed landing of Napoleon's troops on English soil. When the menfolk march away from Trewenna's tiny village to help their Lord Talbot defend the coast against invasion, the women and children scare off the French troops by hiding in the bushes on the cliffs above the beach and showing the red of their petticoats. The French, mistakenly thinking the glimpses of red they see are the British redcoats in ambush, turn tail and sail back to France. The amusing story stars a young heroine, Trewenna, who hates to wear her scratchy red wool petticoat, but quickly thinks of a use for this traditional garb. Ross's illustrations capture the fun and lightheartedness of the text perfectly. The only mention of the legend and its background, however, is printed on the back cover instead of being integrated into the body of the book, where it would have been more effective and less likely to be overlooked. Not an essential purchase, but entertaining and useful as an example of a quick-thinking little girl.
Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.