The familiar tale of the boy who cried wolf is relocated to Japan and given a twist at the end. When the wolf grows too old to chase down his food, he turns to gardening. One day, while grousing about the weeding, he hears someone calling him, and in the hopes that it’s to share some supper, off he creaks toward the noise. Readers see the age-old story played out from the wolf’s point of view, until finally, he finds himself alone with the boy and his goats, and buys the boy some credibility by demanding one of the herd. Rocco makes the most of his setting, creating lush, blossom-filled backgrounds and giving the cranky old wolf a handsome silk tunic and an umbrella. The striking design varies full- or double-page spreads with white space, across which blossoms float and goats wander; figures in the foreground frequently break the frame, thrusting foliage and characters directly into the reader’s space. And the twist? Once the wolf gets the goat home, he discovers that a goat can be a welcome presence in a weedy garden. Good-humored fun all around. (Picture book. 4-8)
