Imagine a Wolf

by Lucky Platt

What do you see when you imagine a wolf?
Sharp, pointy teeth?
Big, hungry eyes?
A soft sweater and a friendly smile?

Wait a minute!

The wolf in this story would rather knit than huff, puff, or blow anyone’s house down. But that doesn’t stop the townsfolk from crying wolf anyway. What’s a kind-hearted wolf to do when everyone keeps running and screaming at “Hello?” It’s time to show the world that this wolf is the furthest thing from Big and Bad.

This beautifully illustrated fable engages readers directly, reminding them to challenge expectations.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Juvenile, Storytime, Humor

40 pages, Hardcover

Published January 12, 2021

About the author

Visual artist and author-illustrator Lucky Platt loves finding art in unexpected places. Her work often explores themes of healing and inclusion with humor. She lives with her artist husband on a lake in rural Maine and works with a range of traditional art mediums - oil paint, ink, gouache, graphite, colored pencil and low relief paper sculpture. Lucky studied painting, drawing and printmaking at Vassar College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Complutense City University of Madrid. Her first picture book, Imagine a Wolf (Page Street Kids 2021) was a 2021 New England Book Award Finalist and has been translated into Korean and Russian. AHHHooooOOOO!

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the sentiments about preconceptions and prejudice, but running through the Little Red Riding Hood litany of teeth, eyes, and ears didn't really work for me as a way to drive the point home. The art was a bit off, especially those disconcerting eyes and the wolf's weird feet and shoes.

[Bethe · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want a story of a misunderstood wolf, try Scieszka’s True Story of the Three Little Pigs. The illustrations are on the creepy side, with strange feet and eyes on the wolf. The end is nice, however.

[Laura Perdew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a terrific surprise, far exceeding my expectations. And, I LOVE Wolf! This book is marvelously clever as it confronts stereotypes and encourages readers to look beyond the surface. It’s also a story that will make kids laugh, and many kids will relate to Wolf and the challenges of just being yourself.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book about healing and inclusion. Would work well with almost any age group (including 35-year-olds who may have gotten a little emotional).

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much I immediately ordered a copy and had it shipped to my most wolfish friend.

[Darlene Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it and will buy it. A humorous reminder that you can't jump to conclusions about anyone. Wolf doesn't huff and puff, he knits and purls right into the hearts of a flock of freezing sheep - and readers. Even before the title page, Wolf challenges readers by asking them to close their eyes and imagine a wolf. With a page turn, Wolf reveals himself as someone very different and continues to explain the real reason for those sharp teeth, big eyes, and big, beautiful ears shown through in your face closeups of the wolf's head with tuft by tuft details. When Wolf is bullied, he picks himself up, checks to make sure his readers are OK, and then keeps going.

[Jenn Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the way that it conveyed its message, but I think the story and pictures could have been fleshed out a bit more.

We begin by being told to imagine a wolf. Then we meet a wolf who loves to knit and generally goes against all of the Big Bad Wolf stereotypes that we've grown up with. The wolf helps show us that your assumptions about a person based on the way they look or your past experiences are not always true.

Thanks to the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Natalie Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a fantastic read-aloud for kids because its very interactive, and it challenges ideas and themes kids have most likely already come across. The book, as the title says, asks the audience to imagine a wolf, and then see if it’s anything like the kind hearted wolf the story is about. This book is ideal for children who are old enough to have most likely already heard stories like little red riding hood or the three little pigs, so they may be surprised to see the wolf in this story is not “the bad guy”. I think it could get kids thinking about not “judging a book by its cover” and also being themselves. In a curriculum sense, it can also get kids to think about perspective and point of view when reading stories, since they don’t typically get the wolf’s perspective. Along with that, the pictures are clear and beautiful, and I think in a read aloud setting kids would really like seeing the large images of the wolf after trying to imagine their own wolf.

[Heydi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a lot of fun with a powerful underlying message of inclusivity told to children by challenging a familiar story trope: the big bad wolf. It's a vital lesson about assumptions. Children will find the twists in this fun and playful, and will laugh at the timing of the page-turns where a joke lands. I think pairing humor with a more serious underlying message is PERFECT for young children. They'll get the message without feeling preached to. And, again, it is quite clever to use a storybook theme that is already familiar to them.

The style of writing in the book is called metafiction because the character, the wolf, interacts and even directs the audience, thus breaking the fourth wall. This is my favorite style of writing.

This would pair with That is Not A Good Idea by Mo Willems and Little Red: A Fizzlingly Good Yarn by Lynn Roberts-Maloney.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Close your eyes and imagine a wolf.” Do you picture a big scary wolf? Maybe one with pointy teeth, big eyes, and tall ears? Or, did you visualize a soft, gentle caring wolf, that likes to knit? Wolf knows that everyone in town is scared of him. They shriek in terror and run away. But Wolf isn’t bad or scary. Wolf just wants to be seen for who Wolf is, kind and loving.

In a story that explores outward perceptions to actual reality, Imagine A Wolf takes readers on a story that shows how stories can create a false illusion. Lucky Platt takes readers on a beautiful story highlighting the power to see past what others tell you to see and see things for what they really are.

[Katie Akerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The wolf in this story wants you to know that he is not all that he seems. Past stories should not color your imagination into thinking that when you imagine a wolf that it should be one of terror.

I liked the message in this story of not judging someone by their looks or by your preconceived notions.

The yarn/knitting theme that unfolded in the illustrations was very cute and further showcased how kind and caring the wolf is.

The illustrations are nice but I feel were a little too raw looking and slightly unfinished.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful underlying message of inclusivity told to children by challenging a familiar story trope: the big bad wolf. Children will find the twists in this fun and playful, and will laugh at the timing of the page-turns where a joke lands. I think pairing humor with a more serious underlying message is PERFECT for young children. They'll get the message without feeling preached to. And, again, it is quite clever to use a storybook theme that is already familiar to them.

**Note: I was given a review copy of this book from Page Street Kids. Opinions are my own.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Theme has been done before so many times. Few modern readers are prejudiced against wolves anymore. This re-introduces the stereotypes. There are also better "another point of view" stories, if you're going to try to tell me the wolf is a metaphorical stand-in for something more universal.

Some of the art, particularly the close-ups of parts of the wolf, is appealing. Most is, imo, off-putting.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this book starts before the title page as that is super fun to share that with students in my library program. I also loved the giant illustrations as the wolf's eyes, ears, and teeth are shared. The focus on assumptions hurting us all is clear and I suspect will be clear to my students, as well. I do think that the illustrations will be the draw for this one as even in doing what the wolf loves, the sketches are adorable!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one. A carefully crafted message of preconceived notions, prejudice, and empathy. What I adore is the opportunity for children to examine their own ideas when they are asked...what do you think I use these big ears for... I would definitely read this aloud to start a classroom conversation.

[Susan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous and subtle book to kindle emerging awareness of how one's biases and expectations can possibly prejudice and influence predictions. Brilliant and gentle way to make young readers understand their own biases... and how to blow those expectations right out of the water. The Wolf Defying expectations is perfect. I can't wait to read this one to my young students. <3

[Areen Omeshat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story give a good and important lesson for the kids to not judge people from appearances, when the people's exclamations about the wolf’s eyes, ears, and teeth make him sad and bring the tears to his eyes, but in this story, the wolf is furthest from being bad like huff, puff, or blow someone’s house.

[Greg Creamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Terrific illustrations and a really powerful underlying message about not pre-judging someone based on appearance or looks. Super fun to read with kids, who fall in love the main character Wolf herself. You’ll want to read it again and again.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagination in this story about what you picture a wolf to be and then opening your book to see the wolf. And how she is looked at while she is getting her yarn ready to knit. And the silliness of a wolf who knits sweaters. Fun read and to start with imagination and what you think it will be about.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every child needs to hear or read this book. With few words and luscious illustrations, Lucky Platt encourages readers to question stereotypes using the Big, Bad Wolf as an example. Highly recommended for both public and school libraries.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This oversized, close perspective challenge to little ones is a powerful trigger for exploring stereotypes, traditional tropes, and basic assumptions that develop so early in a reader's life.
The physical book is sturdy, explansive, and intriguing.

[Jared White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wolves could use a lot of rebranding, maybe then they would be given more of a chance to recover in the wild rather than being feared and hunted so much. Unfortunately, I thought the illustrations in this book were a bit creepy but kind of undermined the message of the nice knitting wolf.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story challenges the reader to think outside the box when it come to thinking about a wolf. A big bad fella with large teeth, big eyes, pointy ears, and strong lungs isn't always what describes what's on the inside. So, close your eyes and imagine a totally different animal if you can.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you imagine a wolf you probably think of fairy tale wolves. Instead, imagine a friendly wolf who is kind and creative. That's the kind of wolf this story is about. Could be good for younger grades to talk about challenging preconceived expectations.

Story: 3
Illustrations: 3
Read-aloud: 3

[Elizabeth]

I was worried about the ending, but was pleasantly surprised. Cute book about not judging a book by its cover.

[Ksenia]

This was sweet and adorable! A wolf who likes to knit? And help? Yes, please!

[Jo Jeffries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and engaging short book about perceptions and being yourself. Great book!

[Ms.Gaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another quirky wolf picture book. Love the artwork, especially the close-ups of the wolf (nice style!) Ages 3-6

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for family storytime! Twisted fairy tales or wolf theme.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful!
Wolf's are stereotyped in stories, this breaks that.

This is a must read for any fans of yarn!