A Well-Mannered Young Wolf

by Jean Leroy, Matthieu Maudet (Illustrator)

Overview

A hilarious story about why manners matter

One morning, a young wolf eagerly sets out on his first hunting trip. But before he can devour his prey, he must honor their final wishes, just as his parents taught him to do. But the wolf’s would-be meals aren’t quite as honorable as he is! Can common courtesy prove effective amidst the wild laws of nature?
 
Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen, this wryly humorous book demonstrates that good manners can bring unexpected results.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802854797
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/03/2016
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jean Leroy worked as a teacher for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 2010. He has written dozens of children’s books, several of which have been published in multiple languages. He lives in France. Visit his website at www.jeanleroy.wordpress.com.
 
Matthieu Maudet studied graphic design in France and now devotes himself completely to illustrating children’s books. He started collaborating with Jean Leroy in 2005; since then, they have published over a dozen picture books together. Visit his website at www.matthieumaudet.blogspot.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/25/2016
Originally published in France, this wicked gem of a story from Leroy (Superfab Saves the Day) and Maudet (A Mammoth in the Fridge) proves that manners matter, even when one isn’t doing something terribly polite, such as hunting prey. The well-mannered wolf of the title strikes out with a butterfly net in hand, dressed in a buttoned-up polo shirt and shorts that don’t exactly scream big or bad. After capturing a rabbit, he asks, “What is your last wish before I eat you?” Freedom is out of the question, but a story isn’t, and the wolf runs home to grab a book. “I won’t move a muscle, I promise!” says the rabbit, who promptly moves several muscles to get out of there. The process repeats when the irritated wolf catches a chicken, but the tables turn after the wolf snags a human boy who sticks around as promised. Maudet’s airy, lighthearted cartooning bolsters the comic timing of Leroy’s fablelike tale, though well-used flashes of red offer reminders of the deadly stakes. And as in many fables, it’s the dishonest who suffer—not the hungry. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly (STARRED review)
"This wicked gem of a story from Leroy and Maudet proves that manners matter, even when one isn't doing something terribly polite. . . . Maudet's airy, lighthearted cartooning bolsters the comic timing of Leroy's fablelike tale."

Booklist (STARRED review)
"A palette of rich reds, yellows and browns against plentiful white spaced pages contribute to this cockeyed tale of politeness gone awry. Klassen fans rejoice-another twisted ending!"

From the Publisher

11/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—Unlike most fairy-tale villains, this predator has manners to a fault. Well, to his own fault, that is. In Leroy's latest picture book, readers are introduced to a capable rogue eager to devour his recently caught prey. Fortunately for them (but unfortunately for him), the young wolf was raised with a code of ethics that places high value upon respecting someone's last wish. Imagine the wolf's dismay when he returns from fetching the proper last wish materials (a book for a story, a guitar to play music), only to find that his captives have scampered off. One little boy requests a drawing and stays put, however, and upon receiving a wonderful hand-drawn portrait, he eagerly leads the wolf to his house so that they may display his new work of art to his friends, who, it turns out, have definitely met this wolf before. Maudet's simple yet effective pencil and digital illustrations are well suited to match the author's acerbic wit. The clean font and easy to-follow story make this a great option as a read-aloud. But for independent reading, this book would work best with first and second graders. VERDICT A wickedly funny dark picture book that will be adored by mischievous young readers.—Maria Alegre, The Dalton School, New York City

School Library Journal

2016-07-20
A young wolf goes hunting for the first time and learns his prey can be crafty—not to mention a bunch of liars.Leroy’s wolf in this French import has a wolfish streak, but he is also a gentleman. His first quarry is a rabbit, caught in a butterfly net. Well-mannered to a fault, the wolf asks the rabbit for its last wish: to be read a story. The wolf rushes home to get one after the rabbit promises not to move a muscle. The three vignettes that depict his rushing home, choosing a book, and rushing back are hysterical. Arriving back at the scene, the wolf finds the rabbit has vanished. “Wait...he’s gone? Oh, that liar!” His next prey, a chicken, pulls a similar bamboozlement, but the little boy he nabs soon thereafter is true to his promise not to move. So not only does the wolf grant him his last wish, a drawing, but he agrees to let the boy show it to his friends (yes, rabbit and chicken). When the wolf sees them in their woodland clubhouse, he walks away after a page turn. Readers are left to their own devices in solving the riddle, but the absence of the rabbit and the chicken in the frame may be a clue. Maudet’s artwork—vignettes, full-page illustrations, two-page spreads—are colored in earth tones that make for clean, rural tableaux. So where do good manners get you? Hunger here and salvation there. Life is a mystery. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews