Little Wolf, Pack Leader - Hardcover

Ian Whybrow was an English teacher and head of sixth form at the John Lyon school in Harrow for many years but is now a full-time author. He writes picture books and novels, specialising in humorous voices so that adults can get as much fun out of his books as the children they are reading to. Ian is married Ann, a drama teacher in Hounslow and they have two daughters one being the actress Lucy Whybrow. Ian loves walking, cycling, swimming, Herefordshire and the arts in general, particularly the theatre.

Grade 2-4-This latest series installment continues with Little Wolf writing letters to his unimpressed parents. Full of misspellings, quirky expressions, and inside jokes, and British in tone, the writing isn't likely to be entirely clear to beginning chapter-book readers. If they persevere, though, they'll find a hero in Little Wolf. Although he doesn't measure up to the macho image that his parents prefer, he manages to outwit Spoiler, leader of The Really Harsh Young Wolf Pack, who is hot on the trail of a rabbit-stealing fox. He succeeds by pulling together a scraggly band of friends and, in the folkloric tradition of the downtrodden, the underdogs overcome their supposedly unbeatable adversaries. And, in the tradition of series fiction, one villain remains at large, to emerge another day. The lighthearted line drawings that appear throughout the pages may help readers interpret the often-confusing prose. The combination of challenging writing with a somewhat childish plot-and a little bathroom humor-makes this an appropriate choice for young but skilled readers.
Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, NE
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