Now on to Perfect Picture Book Friday!
Author/Illustrator: Peter Bently / Mei Matsuoka
Publisher/Date: Andersen Press USA/2011
Genre/Audience: Fiction/Ages 3+
Themes: sheep, wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, trickster
Opening:
"A lamb for my supper will taste mighty fine!"
Thought a wily old wolf by the name of Lou Pine
As he sneakily, slyly snuck up on the flock -
But it wasn't the sheep who were in for a shock.
He chuckled. "How stunningly cunning I am!"
As he slunk through the hedge and met... (page turn) Rambo the Ram.
"Scram!" bellowed Rambo. "Vamoose! Steer clear!
Wolves are NOT welcome! Buzz off out of here!"
"A lamb for my supper will taste mighty fine!"
Thought a wily old wolf by the name of Lou Pine
As he sneakily, slyly snuck up on the flock -
But it wasn't the sheep who were in for a shock.
He chuckled. "How stunningly cunning I am!"
As he slunk through the hedge and met... (page turn) Rambo the Ram.
"Scram!" bellowed Rambo. "Vamoose! Steer clear!
Wolves are NOT welcome! Buzz off out of here!"
Synopsis: (From Amazon.com)
In
this fractured fairy tale, the wolf is stopped at the hedge by the flock's
protector, Rambo the Ram. So Lou sets off to find a disguise that will let him
sneak into the flock. He tries a fuzzy bathrobe, paint, and even cotton candy,
but nothing works out. Can he scare Red Riding Hood's grandmother into knitting
him a costume? Or will she—like everyone else—be able to thwart the wolf's
plans?
Why I Love This Book:
The clever wit, hilarious illustrations, and many allusions that adults would recognize, drew me in and kept me laughing. Bently plays on the archetype of the fairy tale wolf, giving the reader an expected storyline (wolf wants lamb; wolf's plans are thwarted) by way of a very unique and unexpected route (cotton candy fleece???). I just might have enjoyed the many bedtime re-reads of this book more than my kids!
The clever wit, hilarious illustrations, and many allusions that adults would recognize, drew me in and kept me laughing. Bently plays on the archetype of the fairy tale wolf, giving the reader an expected storyline (wolf wants lamb; wolf's plans are thwarted) by way of a very unique and unexpected route (cotton candy fleece???). I just might have enjoyed the many bedtime re-reads of this book more than my kids!
Resources:
Little Red Riding Hood activities, including online storybook
Fractured Fairy Tales Interactive: read and write
Little Red Riding Hood activities, including online storybook
Fractured Fairy Tales Interactive: read and write
For more links to Perfect Picture Books, a collection of bloggers who contribute at Susanna Leonard Hill’s site, click here.
Oh--this looks delightful!!! I love fractured fairy tales and the rhyming seems fun. Hmmm....I wonder what other person might like a book about sheep???? Thanks, for the recommendation, Laura
ReplyDeleteLove the cover--So cute! He looks so pitiful, I'm almost rooting for the wolf.
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to check this one out. It looks like a fractured fairy tale my son would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteLove all the internal rhyme here!
ReplyDeleteLove the folk appearance on the cover. And, the rhyming and humor sound like a great combination for a good read for kids. Great choice.
ReplyDeleteI'm liking the cover and I'm ready for unique and unexpected!
ReplyDeleteThis truly looks like a fun book, Laura. Thanks for sharing it...you did a great review...made me want to go out and find a copy.:)
ReplyDeleteI like that cover too! And the title and the Rhymes! Altogether this looks like a fun one! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery cool cover art. Is it the same sort of fabric art throughout? This sounds as though it would be a hit with kids.
ReplyDeleteYay, my library has this one!!!!! Reserving it now!
ReplyDelete