The Sheep in Wolf's Clothing (Read-aloud)

Starred review from August 6, 2007
Lester and Munster (Hooway for Wodney Wat
) do it again, striking a winning combination of witty wordplay and hilarious images. Ewetopia, a sheep who is “not comfortable in her own wool,” dons an array of outrageous outfits in a futile attempt to impress her peers. When she receives an invitation to the Woolyones' Costume Ball, she determines to outshine everyone. Not until she tries on 57 costumes does she—in a “Ewereka!” moment—find the perfect one: a wolf's suit. At the ball, her disguise draws ample attention, yet not of the desirable sort (“Bad taste,” “Faulty judgment,” bleat the other attendees). Then all eyes shift to a handsome stranger entering the ballroom, whom readers will recognize as a wolf in sheep's clothing, his tail, feet, paws and snout comically protruding from his wooly costume. In a pleasingly absurd twist, he mistakes Ewetopia for his mother and suggests that they grab “a couple of fat woolyones” and go home to eat, which puzzles her (“What kind of a creep would dine on a sheep?”). Eventually Ewetopia wises up, of course, and slyly manages to drive the wolf from the ball and save her wooly comrades (their names are Ewecalyptus, Ewetensil and Heyewe). Extremely amewesing. Ages 4-8.