Woolf

April 15, 2018
When a wolf and sheep fall in love against the odds, their son must learn to navigate a world that is hostile to being both.Woolf ("wool" plus "wolf") has his mother's pointy nose and bushy tail and his father's fleecy body. He loves to "baa at the moon" and to stalk the best grass in the meadow. When it comes time to make friends, Woolf code-switches to adapt. He shaves his fleece to blend in with the wolves, but his vegetarian ways are not in sync with the wolves' predatory natures. He curls and whitens his tail and smooths down his ears to fit in with the sheep but does not enjoy their aimless wandering. Defeated, Woolf turns away from both groups. Though Woolf finds a personally satisfying ending with new friends such as a bullfrog and a horsefly, whose names imply a similar mixed parentage, it is likely to be a disappointing end for many mixed-heritage children and their families looking for a story that might encourage a healthy integration of their diverse backgrounds. By rejecting the culture and identity of both sheep and wolves, Woolf rejects all the wonderful aspects that make him up as well. Woolf yearns to celebrate diversity but instead paints a bleak picture. (Picture book. 4-8)

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June 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-A wolf and sheep fall in love and have a baby. They name the baby Woolf. He looks and behaves in both a wolflike and sheeplike manner. One day he meets a pack of wolves. The wolves, noting that he looks different, ask him what he is. Woolf tells them he is a wolf and he is in disguise to go on a sheep hunt. That night, Woolf shears off all his fluff and pretends to be just another wolf. He enjoys himself, but he discovers that he doesn't like hiding his fluff and he doesn't like hunting rabbits. Woolf meets a flock of sheep and has a similar experience with the sheep. Feeling sad that he does not fit in, his parents find him crying. They explain to Woolf that he is both wolf and sheep and he can't ignore one for the other. The illustrations have a distinct flattened style using natural colors, forested skylines, and a minimalist's amount of detail. The author tackles complex themes-being different, not belonging, and self-acceptance-but perhaps with too much prose for young readers. The ending falls somewhat flat with the reference to Woolf making new friends with a horse fly, bullfrog, and catfish. VERDICT This book that has heart and a good message, but is too simplistic to be effective.-Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services

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