NOT NOW, MRS. WOLF!

A ravenous wolf and a duckling become an unlikely pair in this humorous tale about best-laid plans that have gone wildly awry. Mrs. Wolf is in the mood for a bite of duck when she discovers a duck’s egg in the road. With eyes on a bigger meal, she discards the notion of scrambled eggs and decides to hatch the duckling instead; perching on the egg until the little guy emerges. Like all hatchlings, the first thing the duck sees becomes imprinted as its mother; in this case it’s a very surprised Mrs. Wolf. The sly wolf concocts a dastardly plan to fatten up the fowl. The ever-building suspense reaches its peak when the now plump Funny Feet asks the fateful question, “What’s for dinner?” “ ‘Guess!’ said Mrs. Wolf . . .‘A potato?’ asked Funny Feet. ‘ No fatter and juicier,’ said Mrs. Wolf, reaching for Funny Feet.” However, the joke’s on the readers as the clever duckling races out to retrieve a juicy watermelon from the garden for their evening meal. Older children will appreciate the wry humor of the food-oriented pet names Mrs. Wolf bestows on Funny Feet, such as “my little sugar puff” and “my little muffin.” Young’s cartoon-style illustrations are free from any menacing overtones. Mrs. Wolf, stylishly attired in a green cardigan and a homey, blue-checked apron, is as harmless-looking as an exuberant puppy. The sunlit watercolors depicting cozy pastoral scenes portray the ever-increasing size of Funny Feet and the growing affection between Mrs. Wolf and her protégé. Humorous touches in the illustrations, like the delectably devious thoughts of Mrs. Wolf, comically captured in thought-clouds suspended overhead, will keep readers howling. The book also includes suggestions for read-aloud sessions and extension activities for parents and caregivers to enrich the child’s reading experience. (Picture book. 3-6)