The Complete Polly and the Wolf

July 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Wolf very much wants to eat the titular Polly in this four-book collection featuring the famous pair, all classics of British children's literature. Unfortunately for him, it is crystal clear from their first encounter that Polly is far too sharp and resourceful to ever let that happen. When Wolf hatches a plan to catch her unawares, for example, the invisibility spell he buys from a witch turns out to be bunk. Not that Polly fell for it for a second. And when Polly politely agrees to let him hypnotize her, Wolf ends up hypnotizing himself. He never lets these (and so many other) setbacks slow him down for long, though Polly's quick thinking and Wolf's own endearing ineptitude foil him at every turn. Elementary-age readers will devour these dryly hilarious stories set in a universe both realistic and fantastic, with strong fairy-tale roots. Storr has created not only a strong, relatable female protagonist in Polly but also an unlikely and engaging friendship (of sorts) between Polly and the earnest, inept fellow she calls "my Wolf." The first title in this volume has long been out of print in the United States, while the three sequels were previously domestically unavailable. VERDICT Already a classic of British children's literature, this work, with its winning humor, episodic chapters, and strong female protagonist, belongs in most libraries serving school-age readers.-Ted McCoy, Springfield City Library, MA

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