The Story of the Kind Wolf

Rating:
Summary: Offbeat story, wonderfully evocative illustrations
Review: As a grandparent of 3, I purchase all kinds of wonderful books for my grandchildren. This is not one of them. The story has page after page of animals killing and 'gobbling' each other up. Great illustration of a fox with a mouse in it's mouth. The wolf takes the advise of an owl and goes from the forest to find a new way of life. While he's away, the story tells of a bitterly cold winter and animals becoming desperate with the cold and hunger. The wolf turns into a vegetarian and turns all the little animals in the forest to fruit and vegetables instead of meat. Who do you think is behind this book? I gave it 1 star becaus -10 was not available. Thank goodness I read this book before reading it to my grandchildren, they would have had nightmares for weeks.

Rating:
Summary: My little sister LOVES it!
Review: I gave it five because 10 wasn't available! Ignore the negative review. Why, you ask? Because my six-year-old sister reads it every night, and she never gets bored.

Children are often brainwashed about wolves. Not to mention everything else. Stereotypes are ridiculous- and this book shows it. The illustrations are beautiful. Unless your sister/children are afraid of the food chain, get this book for them!

Rating:
Summary: A kind review for the kind wolf
Review: I have to disagree with the last review. I have read this book to hundreds of first graders and to my own son, and there was nary a complaint of nightmares. It does portray the food chain and the bitter winter in a dramatic, naturalistic way, but frankly, a fox is likely to eat a mouse and winter is hard on many animals. The point of the story is that we should look beyond appearances, and that a leopard...and a wolf...can change his stripes; we should give folks a chance to improve themselves. Even the fox is a vegetarian by the end!

Quirky story with a European style that may not to be everybody's taste, but definitely a winner in my neck of the woods!

Rating:
Summary: Offbeat story, wonderfully evocative illustrations
Review: I must disagree with the Customer Reviewer who gave this book such a low rating. There is nothing nightmare-inducing here. Yes, a fox catches and eats a mouse, but the incident is treated matter-of-factly. Beatrix Potter herself would approve of the tone -- remember Tom Kitten in the Roly-Poly Pudding, about to be consumed by giant rats? Now THAT'S scary.

The story shows how we can either transcend or embrace the stereotypes attached to us. We have a choice. Here, the wolf decides he doesn't want to kill, but actually prefers to heal the sick and injured. He meets with resistance from the forest denizens at first, but eventually he proves to be a good doctor.

The pastel illustrations are wonderfully evocative. You feel the bitter cold of the winter, the fright of the poor little rabbit, and the wolf's sense of concern as he rescues the creature.