Red Snake Blue Snake

About this book

Red Snake and Blue Sake have been friends since they were small, but that doesn’t mean that they see things in the same way. 

In fact, as they go about their day, Red Snake and Blue Snake bicker quite a lot – about what colour the sky is (blue, grey, or blue-grey), whether a cactus looks more like a mitten, or a ghost waving, and whether a puddle is half full, or half dried up. However, they never fall out for long. 

When they come upon a snake charmer, Red Snake wants to stay and dance, but Blue Snake hurries them away. The charmer traps snakes in baskets, and Blue Snake cares too much about their friend for that to happen. 

Finally, it’s time for sleep. Even though they’ve disagreed with each other all day, the snakes are still friends. 

Olivier Tallec’s beautifully profound book about embracing difference and remaining friends could also be read as a political allegory – especially with the choice of red and blue, with opposing views. The snake charmer in red could be read as a persuasive figure to be avoided – or an everyday peril that one friend protects another from. 

Tallec’s artwork is stunning, taking the snakes through a grassland filled with cacti. Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen.