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Summary
Summary
A mysterious forest sound sets a curious girl and her timid younger brother on an evening adventure with an unexpectedly heartwarming outcome.
Alice and Jack are out playing catch when they hear a strange sound coming from the forest. Jack wants to know what it could be, and Alice decides to go find out. "But what if it's the Wicked Wolf?" Jack asks. "Shhh," says Alice. "Everything is going to be all right." As the two go deeper into the woods and get closer to the odd noise, Jack grows more afraid. But Alice reassures him as she guides him along, and together they make a surprising and sweet discovery. Author Timothy Knapman balances the excitement of adventuring into the unknown with the comfort of returning home safe and sound, while Helen Oxenbury's classically charming illustrations make this a perfect bedtime book to share with little explorers, both the brave ones and those who may need some reassuring that everything is going to be all right.
Author Notes
Timothy Knapman is a children's writer, lyricist, and playwright. He is the author of the picture books Soon, illustrated by Patrick Benson, and Dinosaurs Don't Have Bedtimes, illustrated by Nikki Dyson. He lives in Surrey, England.
Helen Oxenbury is a two-time winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the winner of the 2015 Carle Artist Honor. She is a celebrated illustrator of many well-loved books, including Charley's First Night and When Charley Met Grampa, both by Amy Hest, Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell, and There's Going to Be a Baby by her husband, John Burningham. Helen Oxenbury lives in London.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Playing in their yard on the edge of a forest, Alice and her younger brother, Jack, hear a strange noise wafting from the woods: "Ocka by hay beees unna da reeees." Jack is certain that it's the Wicked Wolf, but Alice insists they explore (mindful of her big-sister duties, she holds Jack's hand and promises him several times that "everything is going to be all right"). Oxenbury's (Captain Jack and the Pirates) watercolors, rendered in pale yellows and greens, hark back to similar journeys in classic fairy tales. The eerie noises continue-Knapman (Dinosaurs Don't Have Bedtimes) devises more weird but oddly familiar words-the forest darkens, the Wicked Wolf looms larger in Jack's imagination, and Alice panics. Finally, their nemesis is revealed, in Jack's words, as a "mommy" wolf "singing her babies to sleep." Turning the page, readers see a huge wolf lovingly crooning to her trio of adoring, drowsy pups, framed by soft green leaves. It's impossible not to linger on this image and savor its poignancy. The delicious escalation of suspense is replaced with a quiet sense of wonder, making this story a winner. Ages 3-7. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Alice and Jack are playing in the backyard when they hear an eerie chant from the forest. Jack worries it might be the Wicked Wolf; Alice wants to investigate. While there's suspenseful visual progression from light to gloom in the pencil and watercolor illustrations, this don't-be-afraid bedtime story never gets too scary; the eventual appearance of the wolf--and her pups!--is sweet indeed. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Alice and her younger brother Jack hear noises coming from the forest. And though Jack worries it might be the Wicked Wolf, Alice reassures him as they wander deeper. The text features the oddly musical sounds that lure them (Offtis or eeef edd un gentil daa breez), while facing pages show the almost angelic-looking pair of siblings surrounded by thick trees and lacy greenery that becomes darker as their sojourn progresses. Jack's anxiety start peaking again as he worries about the wolf's deadly claws and jaws. Alice implores her brother to be brave, until they discover the source of the sounds is, in fact, big bad claws . . . snap-trap jaws . . . THE WICKED WOLF! Now Alice wants to run, but Jack detains her. The wolf is mothering her cubs, and in a cute twist, readers see she's singing a variation of Rock-a-Bye Baby that's as dear as her little ones. This flight of fancy, which ends with the children in bed, is wound with both adventure and safety as well as heaps of sweetness.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2017 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-Alice and her younger brother, Jack, follow the strains of an odd melody into the woods near their home, overcoming their fears and discovering ordinary magic in the process. While playing catch, they overhear an eerie tune that seems garbled by the breeze and distance. Knapman's text adheres to a pattern, which makes this ideal for sharing aloud. Jack inquires about the noise they hear, concerned it is the "Wicked Wolf," and Alice calms him, stating, "Shhh, Everything is going to be all right." They move further into the dark woods, with Jack repeating his questions and adding more to his Wicked Wolf each time until the beast has "big bad claws" and "snap-trap jaws." Alice encourages them both to be brave until they are right upon the source of the strange sounds. Panicked, she turns to flee, but Jack stands fast, for he sees their terrors are for naught. The Wicked Wolf is really a she-wolf "singing her babies to sleep." A spread reveals the beautiful wolf and her three cubs in the forefront while the two children peer in wonder from the trees behind her. Oxenbury's pencil and watercolor illustrations are soft and lovely, depicting nature in its uncomplicated joy. Now, as fear is blown away, the lullaby's words are clear to the children, and it's Jack's turn to tell Alice that "everything is all right." VERDICT This gentle, quiet read is an excellent addition to most picture book collections.-Rachel Zuffa, Racine Public Library, WI © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
