Wolf in the City

by Rachel Tilda Wolf

Wolf lives on a plinth in a tired old square on the edge of a vast and magnificent city.


Taken for granted and pooped on by Pigeon, she longs to be admired and to find her place amongst the famous statues in the City Center. One day, she sets off on the bus to do just that, but she discovers that the city statues are mean and selfish. Wolf soon realizes that she misses home, and she heads back to her old square, only to find that her friends there have missed her just as much.



With warmth and humor, this delight of a debut picture book by author and illustrator Rachel Tilda Wolf explores the need to be appreciated and the importance of finding one's home.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolf, a marble statue, lives in a tired old square on a plinth in a “vast and magnificent city”. (The city reads as generic Italian, a cross between Rome and Florence.) Charming pencil and pastel illustrations, dominated by warm tones of rose, ochre, and beige, show Wolf’s bustling and multicultural neighborhood, filled with small shops and familiar visitors. But Wolf longs for adventure and adoration so she hops onto a bright yellow bus and purchases a “Map of Statues”. Her quest for more appropriate digs takes her past a fountain filled with mermaids (who challenge her to a fight), a museum gallery (with a snobby reclining god), and hilltop (where three vain statues tell her to scram). Lost and lonely, Wolf reflects while framed by a gorgeous night sky and chooses to retrace her steps to her homey square. Once there, she finds that she has been missed. Her friends clean her plinth, the pigeon doesn’t poop on her head, and the local school children cheer her return. This lovely home-away-home story will strike a cord with many early elementary picture book readers. Who doesn’t feel overlooked from time to time and dream of escaping to a more glamorous life? Although Wolf is ostensibly a marble statue, she looks more like a big, friendly white dog, with a winsome grin and playful eyes. The author/illustrator moves seamlessly back and forth between full-page bleeds, deployed to impress us with the city’s grandeur, and homey vignettes: a puzzled Wolf studying her map or a sad Wolf trudging back onto her plinth. One double page spread even includes an aerial view, with Wolf’s trail toward a park marked with a series of white dashes. I really appreciated the lack of specificity and backstory in Wolf in the City. Its simple but serious existential message shines and the novel setting presents a visual feast well worth exploring. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wolf is a marble statue in a village square on the outskirts of a large city. Being on a small pedestal in the middle of the square, and being the daily target of Pigeon's droppings, is not the kind of excitement Wolf is looking for. And so Wolf sets off to the city center, hoping to take his place among the magnificent statues there. The city is never named, but the illustrations suggest an Italian setting. Wolf travels from one spot to another—a fountain, a museum, a hilltop—and does not fit in with any of the city statues. Ultimately Wolf finds his way back to his familiar pedestal, where his community is happy to have him back. The quality of this hardback book is lovely with raised elements on the cover and satisfyingly thick pages. The author uses subtle humor in both the text and the images. This fanciful tale may have readers viewing the statues in their environment in a different light, and they will certainly take away the "grass isn't always greener" message.

Optional Purchase for readers in PreS-2.

[Elizabeth E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming story about a wolf statue who learns to appreciate her home in the middle of a tired old square, including a not-so-polite pigeon. She discovers that she is adored just like the other magnificent statues in the city. With warm, inviting illustrations, emotive text, and a touch of humor, this book has quickly become one of our favorites.

Thank you to the publisher for sharing this book with us.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feeling unappreciated and unseen, Wolf, a statue, decides to leave her pedestal and find a place where she will receive the attention she deserves. But her journey doesn't bring her happiness. When she returns, it turns out that the townspeople have missed her a great deal. Finally, she is home and cherished. The soft colors of the artwork and the gentle story may cause readers to reconsider the things and people they take for granted.

[Farrells Bookshop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story about home and belonging. A wolf statue travels to the city to find their place but it's home that calls her.

Read by Indy