Wolf! Wolf!

Title: Wolf! Wolf!
Author/Illustrator: John Rocco
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
http://www.hyperionbooks.com/
http://www.roccoart.com/wolfwolf_making.html
Publication Date: 2007
Genre: Folktale
Audience: Prek-3rd
Overview: This story re-tells Aesop' classic fable of the boy who cried wolf. The setting seems to take place in ancient China. An old hungry wolf is tired of eating vegetables from his weedy garden. A boy from the village calls "Wolf! Wolf!", tricking the elders in the village into thinking a wolf had come and eaten one of the goats. The boy continues to shout "Wolf!", tricking the wolf and the elders to climbing up the hill. The wolf finally decides to trick the calling boy when the villagers do not respond. In order for the boy to convince the villagers a wolf had come and eaten a goat, the boy gives one goat to the wolf. Before the wolf eats the goat, he realizes the goat has eaten all of the weeds in his garden and vegetables have grown everywhere. The wolf decides to keep the goat as a friend and helpful gardener.
Activity: Because this story is a re-telling of a classic fable, where a lesson is taught, I would use this story to inspire the students to create their own re-telling of a folktale or fable, making it creative, humorous, dark, etc. They could even include their own illustrations. The illustrations in this story are very detailed and vibrant. I could cover up the words with sticky notes, and ask the students to create their own story to the pictures, or predict what is happening based on the illustrations.
Reviewer's Name: Rachel Bartee