KIRKUS REVIEW
He loves to eat books, but reading them…not so much.
Wolf loves the taste of paper and can’t resist chowing down on books, both big and small. His friends encourage him to read: “Books are full of adventure and excitement!” Wolfette points out. Despite this, Wolf falls asleep in his easy chair. He wakes up in a strange place, a lush green forest that is also a library. Tree trunks are hollowed out to make room for bookshelves, and more books hang from branches. The librarian is a squirrel, currently frantic because 10 books are missing. Wolf offers to help search. Wolf’s search involves a trip through several children’s classics, including The Jungle Books, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. (With the exception of selections from Aesop and The Arabian Nights, all are of the white male canon.) Once all the books have been retrieved, Wolf is magically transported back to the forest library. Wolf receives elaborate thanks from the squirrel and is suddenly back in his chair at home, still holding the book his friends had given him. Now, after his adventure, he’s anxious to discover what’s between the covers. Though Lallemand preaches to the converted and her material is old as dust, her message is evergreen; Thuillier’s bright illustrations give a friendly, cartoony cast to the classic works they pay homage to. A list of the books referenced is included.
Read more—and more expansively. (Picture book. 3-6)
