the wolf suit

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m glad, as an adult with limited free time for reading, to have the motivation (and a list of nominees!) of being a panelist for the Cybils Awards. It focuses my reading, forces me to set aside the time in my schedule, and picks some of the best titles of the year that I might not have heard of already. A book I wouldn’t have selected on my own, but enjoyed immensely, was Sid Sharp’s elementary/middle grade graphic novel The Wolf Suit.

 

Bellwether Riggwelter is, once again, out of blackberries. This time, rather than tiptoe through a forest full of predators, he comes up with a new plan. He will keep himself safe by blending in—he will sew a Wolf Suit! The disguise works perfectly... sort of. Bellwether realizes he can’t enjoy the forest in a bulky suit, and he may not be the only creature in the forest who feels that way. Perhaps not everyone is as wolfish as they appear.

Bellwether the sheep is afraid… of wolves. And since wolves live in the forest, he’s afraid of the forest as well. Since his house is *in the forest* this is really cramping his flower-smelling and blackberry-eating lifestyle! In a fun and funny graphic novel for the ages 7+ set, author-illustrator Sharp plays with the traditional tale of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Their lovely, stylized, and slightly unsettling artwork is juxtaposed with humor, and twists and turns for a thoroughly entertaining volume.

 

The Wolf Suit features themes of changing yourself to fit expectations or face your fears and finding unique ways to cope with the tough moments in life. But really, the themes take a back seat to the entertainment factor, which I think is just right for the target age of the audience. Bellwether the sheep also has some mad quilting skills – I appreciated that were no gendered activities/expectations in this book! The moments of hilarity resulted most often from the creatures’ expressions, the situation, and the narrative’s surprises.

 

Graphic novels live and die by their art, and this title is no exception: it features lush full-color art done in pencil, watercolor, ink, acrylic, and dirt (yes, that last one was a surprise to me too!). In my notes I originally wrote that the art was gorgeous – and I do think it is. But it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea because it’s not cute and sanitized. It’s meant to have a bit of an edge, and I loved that. Mushrooms and spiders appear on several pages, so young readers accustomed to reappearing motifs in picture books will have fun looking for those. The endpapers featured beautiful details of the natural world, with slightly creepy offset eyes – all adding up to a whole that is a little zany and a lot of fun.

 

In all, The Wolf Suit is beautifully designed, engaging, and just sinister enough. It’s the next step up from Bethann Woollvin’s picture book fairy tale retellings, and features funny anthropomorphic fantasy with no magic, but with a twist.

 

Recommended for: graphic novels for the younger end of the middle grade reading category (ages 7-9, most likely), and anyone who appreciates twists or new takes on fairy tales.

frankie and the creepy cute critters

 I’m on a bit of a roll right now reading books with sassy, strong protagonists who are interested in “monsters” or spooky creatures. Caitlin Rose Boyle’s middle grade graphic novel Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters is the latest in that lineup. It contains: fairies, encounters with and information about (real life) creepy animals, excellent, vibrant artwork, and a cool vibe.

Frankie Fairy loves to learn about creepy crawly critters in her own backyard! Now that she's at a new school, she's excited to learn even more about them! Instead, she learns that the other fairy kids in class think she's the creepy one. Is Frankie really that scary? And if she is—is that really a bad thing? Maybe her creepy crawly friends can help her figure it out!

 

Frankie Fairy and her mother have just moved to Mosstown for her mother’s new job as a professor, and Frankie is excited to start at a new school. However, on her first day, the other kids say she’s creepy, and no one will be her friend. Frankie is disappointed, and ready to tell her mom all about it – but she decides to go on a nature walk first. On her walk she encounters many creepy-cool creatures, and the friends she makes (and encouragement from her mom) eventually help her turn around her experience at school.

 

Frankie is a fun little fairy, starting with her appearance. She has bat-like wings and nose and teeth, and is all-around royal blue – a little more goth than the other fairies (who have the more “typical” looking dragonfly-ish wings and pastel skin and hair). She’s also super interested in the natural world – she keeps a field journal for her observations on and facts about animal and creature behavior. These two things set her apart from her new classmates, and as we know, people (and fairies) don’t respond well to anything “other.” Boyle has set up a scenario that many children will identify with: feeling ostracized and/or left out, and resolved it in a fun and surprising way. Frankie’s big personality is the best thing about her, but her cool room décor and outfits will enchant young readers as well.

 

That’s a great segue to a discussion about the art – which has a neon sour gummy worms color palette and vibe to match. Boyle uses heavy black lines, cute (almost twee!) details, and vibrant colors to appeal to young readers. The bugs and other creepy-crawlies in the book are rendered in loving, accurate detail, and in the back matter more animal facts are included for a field guide-esque feel. The overall effect is ridiculously charming, and I am hopeful that Frankie’s adventures don’t stop with one volume – I want to know more about her adventures in Mosstown!

 

In all, Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters is a smart, charming graphic novel for young readers, and a quick read. It’s sure to be a hit with kids who think they’re too old for picture books, but love everything related to nature (and the supernatural!).

 

Recommended for: baby goths (or goths-in-the-making), readers ages 6-10+, fans of the Hex Vet series and Snapdragon, and anyone who likes learning about animals AND fantasy fiction!