Wolves

WOLVES Emily Gravett, Macmillan, 2005, hardback, 32 pages, NZ$34.95
ISBN 1-405-05082-9

When Rabbit borrows a book called Wolves from the Public Burrowing Library, he finds it so engrossing that he doesn’t notice that he’s walking on one! Gravett’s illustrations provide a droll contrast between the tiny Rabbit, with his expressive ears, and the huge wolves with their expressive teeth. Since this very funny picture book is designed as a book-within-a-book (complete with library card and assorted mail) there is room for Gravett to provide an alternative ending for “sensitive readers” i.e. parents and rabbits. Children and wolves will prefer the “real” ending, which comes complete with a library overdue notice.

This review by Trevor Agnew was first published in The Press, Christchurch, New Zealand on 22nd October 2005.