Wolves

by Emily Gravett, Emily Gravett (Illustrator)

Overview

WOLVES

What do wolves really like to eat? It isn't little girls in red hoods.
Rabbits shouldn't believe what they read in fairy tales, but this book has the facts.

(This book follows the National Carroticulum.)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416914914
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	08/01/2006
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	855,677
Product dimensions:	10.25(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Emily Gravett is the author and illustrator of many children’s books, including Matilda’s Cat, Again!, Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears (winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal), Meerkat Mail, Tidy, and Old Hat. Her first book, Wolves, was the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Award for Illustration. Her second book, Orange Pear Apple Bear, was a Quills Award finalist, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and on the shortlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Emily lives in Brighton, England, with her partner, their daughter, and the family dog. Visit her at EmilyGravett.com.

Emily Gravett is the author and illustrator of many children’s books, including Matilda’s Cat, Again!, Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears (winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal), Meerkat Mail, Tidy, and Old Hat. Her first book, Wolves, was the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Award for Illustration. Her second book, Orange Pear Apple Bear, was a Quills Award finalist, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and on the shortlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Emily lives in Brighton, England, with her partner, their daughter, and the family dog. Visit her at EmilyGravett.com.

Editorial Reviews

This imaginative, cleverly illustrated picture book follows a rabbit who goes to his local "burrowing" library to check out a book on wolves. As he immerses himself in the book, he fails to notice that the characters have actually come alive. Wolves follow the bunny everywhere until, in a final moment of jeopardy, readers see only the book that our hero was reading, slashed to bits. Filled with factual information about wolves, lots of sly humor, a reassuring alternate ending, and expressive, mixed-media art, this book delivers on many levels -- and will appeal to all kinds of kids.

Gr 1-3-This imaginative, cleverly designed story unfolds in a delectable blend of spare text and eloquent multimedia illustrations. A textured welcome mat serves as background for title and publisher information, the pages feel somewhat scratchy, and the wolves are expressively drawn with charcoal pencil. In the story, Rabbit borrows Wolves by Emily Grrrabbit from the West Bucks Public Burrowing Library and leaves with his nose already stuck in the red book. His long, wavy ears ooze movement. The author ingeniously develops her story on two levels: children will absorb the information that the rabbit is reading-"An adult wolf has forty-two teeth"-but also enjoy the suspenseful tale of what is happening to the rabbit as he walks along. As a "real" wolf becomes gradually more threatening, Rabbit becomes progressively smaller. Expressive illustrations show him obliviously walking up a bushy tail onto the back, and then the snout, of a wolf; but it is the uh-oh expression on his face as he slowly realizes that he is in trouble that is so piercingly vivid. The following page depicts a partially eaten book, and no rabbit. However, the author then reassures readers that "no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book" and thoughtfully provides an alternative ending for "sensitive children." This delightful picture book is best shared with children who can appreciate the sly humor.-Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

With a nod to David Wiesner's classic, The Three Pigs (2001), newcomer Gravett creates a postmodern story that can easily be enjoyed by a less sophisticated audience. A rabbit checks out a book of information on wolves from the library. As he reads, absorbed, he fails to notice a wolf stepping out of the book, ever larger and more menacing. Wolves "have bushy tails," reads Rabbit, while trodding unaware on the wolf's tail. The wolf creeps up on the feckless bunny until Rabbit comes upon the information that wolves eat rabbits! The rabbit is bug-eyed with alarm, while the consummate page-turn reveals the library book clawed to shreds . . . the rabbit gone. Never fear, delicate readers, there is an alternate ending in which the rabbit and the wolf, who is a vegetarian, share a sandwich. Like many postmodern picture books, the mixed-media illustrations call attention to the book itself, and establish an ironic relationship between the deadpan text and the endearingly expressive rabbit stalked by the slavering wolf. Brilliant fun. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews