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Polly and Wolf
Clever Polly And the Stupid Wolf
CLEVER POLLY AND THE STUPID WOLF by Catherine Storr has twelve stories written for the author's daughter, who was scared of the wolf under the bed! Drawing occasionally on well-known fairy tales, and skillfully blending fantasy and reality, these stories are bursting with humour, originality and charm. And Polly, not scared at all, outwits the wolf on each and every occasion!
There is a sequel called POLLY AND THE WOLF AGAIN, also published in the A Puffin Book series of children's modern classics.
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1974
12 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Storr
164 books30 followersAuthor Catherine Storr was educated at St. Paul's Girls' School and went on to study English at Newnham College, Cambridge. She then went to medical school and worked part-time as a Senior Medical Officer in the Department of Psychological Medicine of the Middlesex Hospital from 1950 to 1963.
Her first book was published in 1940, but was not successful. It was not until the 1950s that her books became popular. She wrote mostly children's books as well as books for adults, plays, short stories, and adapted one of her novels into an opera libretto. She published more than 30 children's books, but is best known for Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf and Marianne Dreams, which was made into a television series and a film.
Her first book was published in 1940, but was not successful. It was not until the 1950s that her books became popular. She wrote mostly children's books as well as books for adults, plays, short stories, and adapted one of her novels into an opera libretto. She published more than 30 children's books, but is best known for Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf and Marianne Dreams, which was made into a television series and a film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 24, 2018
I read this purely for the nostalgia factor, but it's genuinely hilarious?? The wolf is pure comedic genius. The conversations he and Polly have had me in stitches, such as when they discuss poetry and the wolf is unimpressed with Polly's recital of Monday's Child:
alsdkfjdksl SEE WHAT I MEAN. What a misunderstood artiste. I loved the story where he takes inspiration from The Three Little Pigs and brings a bomb to blow the house down, and then when Polly convinces him that being blown to pieces wouldn't leave much for the wolf to eat:
I'M ACTUALLY DYING omfg wolf, you're so smart. :')
(I actually thought Polly was pretty stupid for helping the wolf to escape from the zoo, like, girl, he genuinely wants to eat you. If you were REALLY clever you would have left him in there, problem solved.)
'Oh, rhymes,' said the wolf scornfully. 'Yes, if that's all you want. It jingles along if that satisfies you. No, I meant it doesn't make you go all funny inside like real poetry does. It doesn't bring tears to your eyes and make you feel you understand life for the first time, like proper poetry.'
alsdkfjdksl SEE WHAT I MEAN. What a misunderstood artiste. I loved the story where he takes inspiration from The Three Little Pigs and brings a bomb to blow the house down, and then when Polly convinces him that being blown to pieces wouldn't leave much for the wolf to eat:
'Shall I give it to a little boy who is interested in how things work?' the wolf suggested, cautiously wrapping the bomb up in the remains of the too-small paper bag.
'No, that would be very dangerous.'
'Yes, I see what you mean,' the wolf agreed. 'He might make it go off before I was out of reach.'
I'M ACTUALLY DYING omfg wolf, you're so smart. :')
(I actually thought Polly was pretty stupid for helping the wolf to escape from the zoo, like, girl, he genuinely wants to eat you. If you were REALLY clever you would have left him in there, problem solved.)
July 30, 2019
Polly repeatedly is able to prevent the wolf from eating her up.
This is a cute book. It's fairly old-fashioned, which is not a bad thing. I like the meta-ness of some of the stories, where Polly and the wolf discuss pros and cons of the Little Red Riding Hood story, or the stability of brick houses based on the Three Little Pigs.
This is a cute book. It's fairly old-fashioned, which is not a bad thing. I like the meta-ness of some of the stories, where Polly and the wolf discuss pros and cons of the Little Red Riding Hood story, or the stability of brick houses based on the Three Little Pigs.
May 19, 2012
This is an excellent book that tells the story of a very clever and witty little girl.
Polly is being tormented by a rather unpleasant wolf who constantly threatens to eat her! Polly, however, is far too clever for the silly wolf and devises a number of delicious ways to prevent him from eating her!
The story is very funny. Any children I have read it to have loved it and have gotten really involved often coming up with their own ideas for how they might have outsmarted the wolf themselves. I think the book is well suited to Y1 or Y2 children and would be excellent to use for role-playing and exploring dialogue between characters.
Polly is being tormented by a rather unpleasant wolf who constantly threatens to eat her! Polly, however, is far too clever for the silly wolf and devises a number of delicious ways to prevent him from eating her!
The story is very funny. Any children I have read it to have loved it and have gotten really involved often coming up with their own ideas for how they might have outsmarted the wolf themselves. I think the book is well suited to Y1 or Y2 children and would be excellent to use for role-playing and exploring dialogue between characters.
December 29, 2018
It started off funny, but became rather tedious after a chapter or 4....
February 13, 2021
'Good morning, Polly,' said the wolf.
'Good morning, Wolf,' said Polly. 'What have you come here for?'
'I have come to eat you up,' replied the Wolf. 'And this time I'm going to get you.'
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Two large tears dropped from the wolf's eyes.
'But I haven't got a cow,' he cried.
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This is really clever and funny. For sure, the Big Black Wolf is the star, and the so-called Clever Polly comes in a distant second.
'Good morning, Wolf,' said Polly. 'What have you come here for?'
'I have come to eat you up,' replied the Wolf. 'And this time I'm going to get you.'
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Two large tears dropped from the wolf's eyes.
'But I haven't got a cow,' he cried.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is really clever and funny. For sure, the Big Black Wolf is the star, and the so-called Clever Polly comes in a distant second.
April 16, 2016
At first you think it is just going to be predictable children's stories in the vein of things like Brer Rabbit Book or Looney tunes (roadrunner for example). I thought it was ok on that level, sometimes a bit whimsical or sentimental but OK. But as I read on there was more to it.
There is the complexity of power and empowerment where Polly feels reliant enough upon her own wits to feed and rescue the wolf (but never speak kindly to him). I tied myself in knots thinking about that. On the one hand the wold plays a victim role constantly in Polly's life, on the other hand he is still a predator and she can't afford to let her guard down for a minute. There is also the complexity of having to navigate a world where her mother relies on her.
I read that the book was based on the author's real daughter's real phobia (as a child) about wolves and was a way of working through that. To me the book is more interesting when read this way, about a real little girl's grappling with an imagined wolf. If the wolf represents toxic anxiety and it is really about triumph over fear then I suddenly like it a lot.
Or it's just a predictable story where characters are quite unkind to each other. It's easy enugh to be a confidence booster for a primary school child (of either gender)
There is the complexity of power and empowerment where Polly feels reliant enough upon her own wits to feed and rescue the wolf (but never speak kindly to him). I tied myself in knots thinking about that. On the one hand the wold plays a victim role constantly in Polly's life, on the other hand he is still a predator and she can't afford to let her guard down for a minute. There is also the complexity of having to navigate a world where her mother relies on her.
I read that the book was based on the author's real daughter's real phobia (as a child) about wolves and was a way of working through that. To me the book is more interesting when read this way, about a real little girl's grappling with an imagined wolf. If the wolf represents toxic anxiety and it is really about triumph over fear then I suddenly like it a lot.
Or it's just a predictable story where characters are quite unkind to each other. It's easy enugh to be a confidence booster for a primary school child (of either gender)
December 17, 2018
My boys and I agreed that this was a three-star book — fun enough to read aloud, but not as good or as a memorable as some of the novels we’ve read together before. Both boys agreed that they liked the book mostly just because it was funny how dumb the wolf was. My seven-year-old’s favorite part was when the wolf tried to plant the vine (thinking it’d grow big enough overnight) to get to Polly’s window and my twelve-year-old liked how Polly fooled the wolf in the last story.
April 14, 2019
Picked this up from my local library as I have been meaning to read these stories for ages! They are quite formulaic, but utterly brilliant, as Polly comes up with more and more inventive ways to put off the wolf from eating her. I loved the wolf and he really is quite clever, just awfully easy to distract! Great fun for children who are familiar with their fairy tales or to help children see how problems and scary things might be overcome with a bit of thought and planning!
November 26, 2022
I was given this book as a child and passed it on through the generations. Looking back, Polly was an excellent female role model (sadly, fairly hard to find then....)
The book is hilarious, witty and joyful, turning many of the usual fairytales upside down and offering a very different slant for which I am very grateful.
The book is hilarious, witty and joyful, turning many of the usual fairytales upside down and offering a very different slant for which I am very grateful.
July 2, 2017
I read this book in a children's lit. class in 1980 or 81. It is a great book for girls. Polly is indeed clever and is able to outwit the wolf using her own good sense. The book is also very funny. I think Sally has the copy that I searched for and bought for her.
December 14, 2019
I read this with the 8 year old I was babysitting and she really enjoyed it. A few old fashioned words like 'perambulator' which she struggled with but I explained what they meant.
A nice collection of stories about little Polly and her tactics to escape the wolf.
A nice collection of stories about little Polly and her tactics to escape the wolf.
May 6, 2020
I recall this from childhood, and actually it has aged surprisingly well (bar a few things like bellows and milkmen, which a modern kid would puzzle over!). Polly is a resourceful heroine, and one cannot help but love dear old, hopeless Wolf.
A catchy read aloud too.
A catchy read aloud too.
May 28, 2020
This was one of my favourite books when I was a kid, I think I loved how clever and calm Polly is in the face of danger, and how kindly she is to the wolf even though he wants to eat her. It's still entertaining!
May 25, 2017
This was a really funny book. I loved it when the wolf does silly tricks. Ivor aged 5
May 19, 2018
Ha! Clever, clever girl! I felt sorry for the wolf a few times, but he’s unwavering in his quest to eat her. Funny stories. I like that Polly is always polite and kind to him.
October 13, 2018
Very enjoyable and surprisingly not too dated. Made my 8 year old giggle rather a lot.
November 13, 2018
Does just what it says on the tin: the bad wolf is dumb and the little girl is precocious. Meant for quite little ones, but also I think it hasn't aged very well.
February 25, 2019
I haven't really read all of this --- but my six-year-old niece has, several times, and loved it!!
April 13, 2019
ENDURING CLASSIC
September 10, 2019
My students and I absolutely love reading the adventures of polly and the wolf. We always want to know what shenanigans the wolf will try this time.
February 3, 2021
Felt sorry for the wolf.
February 16, 2021
My 5 y/o daughter really enjoyed this book and now wants to read the second book in the series.
October 8, 2021
This is a great book - kids love it. Perfect chapter lengths for not too long bedtime stories.
April 30, 2022
These were fun to read aloud to my granddaughters (8&11)
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September 12, 2022read in year 3 !!!
May 5, 2024
My favorite book as a kid.
July 31, 2025
Re-read this as loved it as a child. Loved the simplicity of it and how Polly always gets the better of the wolf.
April 16, 2018
Thank God for retellings of Little Red Riding Hood that give Clever Polly a brain and some common sense. I like this version of the tale a lot. Polly has agency and wits, and the poor wolf cannot keep up. Recommended!
October 11, 2015
Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf by Catherine Storr
This is an excellent, humorous book that tells the story of a very clever and witty girl. It consists of 12 chapters, each telling a different short story about a little girl and a wolf whose main desire is to eat her. Many of the stories are based on the wolf’s interpretation of popular fairy tales involving wolves, including Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs and the Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. Retelling previous stories allows children to recall and make connections from prior knowledge.
The book describes how one day the front door bell rang and Polly went to open the door. And there was a great black wolf who said he had come to eat her up. Throughout the book Polly is tormented by a rather unpleasant wolf who constantly threatens to eat her! Polly, however is not frightened. She always thinks of something to outwit the stupid wolf on each and every occasion. Some of the clever way Polly overcomes the wolf is by devising a number of delicious ways to prevent him from eating her! Including chocolate cake and daisies. Polly cleverly and comically always escapes the wolf either by making him too full to eat her or by confusing him with reason.
The book contains a literary discussion theme throughout the stories for example ‘Monday’s Child’, in which Polly and the (not so stupid) wolf have a discussion, the wolf proves himself to be rather good at talking about poems, scoffing at the kind that merely rhymes and telling Polly that proper poetry should “make you feel you understand life for the first time”, before going on to recite a poem about cooking and eating children. The theme is continued throughout with reference to other favourite children’s book however the wolf proves that he has not learnt much from his study of literature throughout the story. This can be used to question children about their understanding of previous stories that they have read. Children will get the sense of ‘correcting’ the wolf which will enhance their prior knowledge.
I believe this book is suitable for children in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2. It can be used in English for reading and writing. The book can be used as a comprehension in English lessons and the children can recall the key points from the book which would help assess the children’s understanding. It can also be used to assess children understanding of previous books. The book contains some moral messages which children can also refer to. It would be excellent to use for role-playing (Drama) and exploring dialogue between characters (mini plays in groups).
Overall I think this is a brilliant book. It contains great illustrations. It’s funny and clever and will entertain primary school children as well as parents/adults alike.
This is an excellent, humorous book that tells the story of a very clever and witty girl. It consists of 12 chapters, each telling a different short story about a little girl and a wolf whose main desire is to eat her. Many of the stories are based on the wolf’s interpretation of popular fairy tales involving wolves, including Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs and the Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. Retelling previous stories allows children to recall and make connections from prior knowledge.
The book describes how one day the front door bell rang and Polly went to open the door. And there was a great black wolf who said he had come to eat her up. Throughout the book Polly is tormented by a rather unpleasant wolf who constantly threatens to eat her! Polly, however is not frightened. She always thinks of something to outwit the stupid wolf on each and every occasion. Some of the clever way Polly overcomes the wolf is by devising a number of delicious ways to prevent him from eating her! Including chocolate cake and daisies. Polly cleverly and comically always escapes the wolf either by making him too full to eat her or by confusing him with reason.
The book contains a literary discussion theme throughout the stories for example ‘Monday’s Child’, in which Polly and the (not so stupid) wolf have a discussion, the wolf proves himself to be rather good at talking about poems, scoffing at the kind that merely rhymes and telling Polly that proper poetry should “make you feel you understand life for the first time”, before going on to recite a poem about cooking and eating children. The theme is continued throughout with reference to other favourite children’s book however the wolf proves that he has not learnt much from his study of literature throughout the story. This can be used to question children about their understanding of previous stories that they have read. Children will get the sense of ‘correcting’ the wolf which will enhance their prior knowledge.
I believe this book is suitable for children in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2. It can be used in English for reading and writing. The book can be used as a comprehension in English lessons and the children can recall the key points from the book which would help assess the children’s understanding. It can also be used to assess children understanding of previous books. The book contains some moral messages which children can also refer to. It would be excellent to use for role-playing (Drama) and exploring dialogue between characters (mini plays in groups).
Overall I think this is a brilliant book. It contains great illustrations. It’s funny and clever and will entertain primary school children as well as parents/adults alike.
July 16, 2011
My cousin had this when we were kids and we seriously listened to it so many times we knew big sections by heart and the tape eventually wore out ... highly recommend it to all who can find it!
The tape contains several almost short stories which together make up the book. The wolf tries hard to capture Polly and eat her but Polly is a quick thinking smart child who always gets away...along the way the wolf tries to get ideas on how to catch Polly from reading fairy tales which is pretty funny!
Merged review:
My cousin had this on tape when we were about 8 and we listened to it so much it wore out. Recently purchased and read aloud with my son who is of a similar age and we really enjoyed it. He has since read it several times alone. It is a very good book to encourage children into reading alone as it is not one long story but more like short stories that flow into each other.
The tape contains several almost short stories which together make up the book. The wolf tries hard to capture Polly and eat her but Polly is a quick thinking smart child who always gets away...along the way the wolf tries to get ideas on how to catch Polly from reading fairy tales which is pretty funny!
Merged review:
My cousin had this on tape when we were about 8 and we listened to it so much it wore out. Recently purchased and read aloud with my son who is of a similar age and we really enjoyed it. He has since read it several times alone. It is a very good book to encourage children into reading alone as it is not one long story but more like short stories that flow into each other.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews