Big Wolf Little Wolf

A book children will understand, this deserves a place on their shelves and in their hearts.

A young Indigenous girl moves to the big city and learns to find connections to her culture and the land wherever she goes, despite encountering bullies and feelings of isolation along the way. When Little Wolf moves to the big city with her mom and sister, she has difficulty adjusting to their new life. She misses living close to nature and seeing animals wherever she goes, and she misses fishing with her grandfather and seeing dolphins leaping beside their boat. Most of all, she misses feeling connected to her culture. At school, Little Wolf has trouble fitting in. Although her class has kids from many different cultures, no one is Heiltsuk, like her. The other kids call her names and make her feel unwelcome. Her only defence is to howl like a wolf so they run away. But this only isolates her further. Gradually, Little Wolf starts to see the beauty in her new surroundings. She discovers that there is wildlife everywhere, even in the big city. An otter swims beside her as she walks on the seawall. A chickadee chirps in a tree in the big park near her house. And her mother helps her stay connected to their culture by signing them up for beading and dance classes. Despite the difficult start, Little Wolf grows up proud of her background and ready to face the future. This inspiring tale, the first in a trilogy, combines traditional and contemporary Indigenous themes and artwork.

Rolf, a small, gentle wolf, lives with Mrs. Boggins, who tells him he is a good little wolf. But when he meets up with a large, ferocious wolf, he is told that he isn't a real wolf. Wolves aren't little and good—they are big and bad. To prove he is a real wolf, the old wolf tells Rolf he must perform certain tasks, such as blowing down a little pig's house. Rolf is a total failure . . . until the big bad wolf urges him to do something unspeakable to old Mrs. Boggins. Then the good little wolf proves that he can stand up to the big bad bully. Or so it seems. More mature readers may find a different ending that could lead to a great discussion! Using familiar storybook characters and an endearing new hero, Nadia Shireen makes her debut in this winning picture book.

Grey wolf father and son sing to each other one night before being startled by noises in the bushes.

Little Wolf has been behaving too courteously, so his parents send him to his uncle's Big Bad Wolf school to learn to be a proper wolf.

Some may favor the proper way to howl, but what if you have a song in your heart that needs to come out? A delightful, disarmingly funny tale for little and big wolves everywhere. Little Wolf can hardly wait. Tonight he will howl at the moon to the top of the sky. First, Big Wolf demonstrates traditional howling form: AAAAAAAAAAOOOOOooooooooo. Then it’s Little Wolf’s turn. He’s sure he is ready, but when the big moment comes, something happens. Something unexpected, something wild, something unbe-beep-bop-believable! Sisters Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Kate McGee have created a wonderful story about the importance of doing things your own way and being true to your heart when it swells with wildness and joy.

If you like Mo Willems’ Pigeon, you’ll love Sam Wedelich’s Chicken Little! Chicken Little is NOT afraid of anything, not even a wolf. No matter how big or bad he is. In fact, she's never even seen a wolf. So when a real wolf shows up and ruffles her feathers, what's a fretful fowl to do: Join the frenzied flock and fly the coop? Or find out if this newcomer is as bad as his reputation? The plucky star of Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale goes toe-to-toe with literature's most famous villain in this brilliant comedy spun with sly wisdom.

A New York Times Editors' ChoiceA Capitol Choices Book of 2019A Brain Pickings Best Children's Book of 2018Winter 2017 – 2018 Kids Indie Next Pick!A Fatherly Best Children's Book of 2018Selected for exhibition in the 2018 Society of Illustrators Original Art show "Just found the book we'll gift to every child we know!"—PBS "Stunning, serene and philosophical"—Maria Russo, The New York Times "Hushed and lovely, this is a picture book to calm and inspire."—Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal Bear and Wolf become unlikely companions one winter's evening when they discover each other out walking in the falling snow; they are young and curious, slipping easily into friendship as they amble along together, seeing new details in the snowy forest. Together they spy an owl overhead, look deep into the frozen face of the lake, and contemplate the fish sleeping below the surface. Then it's time to say goodbye: for Bear to go home and hibernate with the family and for Wolf to run with the pack. Daniel Salmieri's debut as author/illustrator is a beautifully rendered story of friendship and the subtle rhythm of life when we are open to the world and to each other.