Sharing with Wolf by Melinda Szymanik illustrated by Nikki Slade Robinson

"My favourite food is grass, with the occasional daffodil. My favourite season is spring and my favourite colour is green. What about you?"

"My favourite colour is silver, like the moon. And my favourite season is also spring, because there is plenty of my favourite food around. It's in my nature."

Think about the cover and end papers with your library group or young reading companion. The sheep has a knitting basket and (on the end papers) the wolf has a book with the ominous title "50 ways with Mutton". Throughout the book keep your eye on the knitting basket - it has some fun labels.

Wolf is looking for a housemate. Lamb arrives. 

"I'm a quiet sort who loves minding my own business. It's true I do tend to follow the flock, but my wool makes very nice sweaters and bed socks."

The answer from Wolf is a little surprising. He says he cannot share with a sheep because ... well he likes to eat sheep.

BUT Sheep will not take no for an answer. Warning the ending might SHOCK you! Perhaps Sheep should have stayed with her flock.

Here are the teaching notes from Scholastic. Here is an interview with the author and illustrator. The suggested age for this 2020 picture book (I borrowed it from a library) is 4-8 but I think older children are more likely to enjoy the fun and perhaps not be too upset that maybe that little sheep has just become lunch for the wolf. 

Porridge Please! by Laura Mucha illustrated by Marc Boutavant

STOP - do not open this book and do not share this book with your young reading companion or library group until everyone is very familiar with a couple of famous stories - Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and Little Red Riding Hood. Okay so you know and the children know all of those. Now STOP again. Sit somewhere comfy and take your time. There are quite a few stories going on in this book - and you will miss them if you rush past. You need to notice every detail in every scene including of course the cover - although it might be better to look at the cover more closely AFTER you read this book because it does contain a serious spoiler!

Do you remember what happened in Can't you sleep little Bear? by Martin Waddell illustrated by Barbara Firth? In that story Big Bear is trying to read his book - he keeps getting to the interesting part and then he is interrupted. Baby Bear, in Porridge Please, has the same problem. He is reading his book when there is a knock on the door. It is Goldilocks and she has come back for a dish of delicious porridge. Baby Bear heads upstairs again and settles down with his book but there is another knock on the door. This time it is Little Red Riding Hood and she is also after a bowl of porridge. Baby Bear heads upstairs for the third time but oh no the little pigs are at the door. Will Baby Bear ever get back to his book? He is beyond exasperated when there is yet another knock on the door - but who is this? Is this Granny or is it ... ?

Baby Bear settles down with his book again, but something is worrying him. Are all his porridge eating guests okay downstairs?

Meanwhile another scene is unfolding on the side of the house. Do you remember the broken chair from the original story? Well Father Bear and Mother Bear, who seem to have missed hearing all that knocking on the door of their cottage, are busy repairing the sweet broken chair and to see how this begins and ends you need to linger over the end papers.

But wait - there's more! Keep your eye on the roof of the cottage. A stork has arrived - can you guess her plan? Oh and I do wonder about the title of the book that Baby Bear has been trying to read - it clearly is a fabulous story.

In case you’re wondering whether Bear ever did get to read that last page, you’ll have to get your own copy of their book to find out. One thing that is certain though is that young listeners will endorse the READ IT AGAIN! plea on the final endpapers.
 Red Reading Hub

I love to eat porridge especially in winter and especially in cafes where they add delicious extras. Here is a Pinterest of other picture books about porridge. 

Laura Mucha is an author and poet for both children and adults. Her writing has won multiple international awards and been featured on TV and radio. In 2024, Laura was the runner up for the Ruth Rendell Award for the author who’s had the most significant influence on literacy in the UK over the past year. Her books include Rita's Rabbit, illustrated by Hannah Peck, Dear Ugly Sisters and Celebrate! Laura lives in London. The Italian version of this book is on the shortlist for an Italian book prize called The Andersen Prize (not related to the Hans Christian Andersen Award from IBBY). 

Here is another book by Laura Mucha:

Marc Boutavant is an award-winning graphic artist, illustrator and comic book author. He has illustrated numerous children’s books, including I Am Not an Octopus and Not An Alphabet Book: The Case of the Missing Cake, both written by Eoin McLaughlin, and Never Tickle a Tiger, written by Pamela Butchart. He is also the creator of the bestselling Around the World with Mouk, which has been adapted into a television series for Disney Junior UK. Marc lives in Paris.

Little Wise Wolf by Gijs van der Hammen and Hanneke Siemensma translated by Laura Watkinson

Little Wolf (perhaps he needs to learn about wisdom so I have abbreviated his name) lives on the other side of the mountains. He likes to read big books, experiment with herbs and study the stars. The animals of the forest are in awe of his intelligence and they are sure Little Wolf will be the one to answer their questions but he grumbles at them and tells them all to go away. Then a messenger crow arrives from the king. He has a letter from the king.  Little Wolf would like to say no but after all this is the king and the king is ill so Little Wolf sets off on the long journey to the castle. The road is rough, the mountains are high, his bicycle is useless and then it begins to rain. 

Image Source: Hanneke Siemensma

"Then in the distance he saw a light. And there, deep in the forest, Little Wise Wolf found a tent with a campfire and a pan of soup."

His friends from the forest have been following him. They help Little Wolf continue with his journey but when he does arrive his confidence is gone (and so has his pride). 

"I don't think I can do it. Someone else will have to make the king better."

But he does know what to do. In all that reading he learned about a lot about useful herbs. Little Wolf makes the king some medicine and after a few days the king recovers. Little Wolf knows he only reached the king because his friends helped him. This is the true wisdom he needs to learn and, while he will go on reading those big books, he now knows "I still have a lot to learn ... "

Little Wise wolf is one of those perfect picture books which you can easily share with a young child and also with a group of older students. I would like to say this is a book to add to your library collection but sadly here in Australia it is only available as a very expensive hardcover.

Little Wolf’s journey really feels epic and there are some impressive techniques used by the illustrator to set this scene. Liquid light shines out from the pages that are covered in a rich purple black. You can almost taste the ink on the pages. Association of Illustrators

The original Dutch title of this book is Kleine wijze wolf. 

You can see art by Dutch illustrator Hanneke Siemensma here. Hanneke and Gijs have two children and live in Haarlem in Holland. This is their first book. I love the way the back end paper includes a map of the full journey - there and back - to the castle of the king.

Truly wonderful in all aspects. Kirkus Star review

In this big story disguised as a small one, Gijs van der Hammen deftly explores the value of relationships and the interconnectedness of us all. It highlights for young children the important life lesson that everyone has unique skills and knowledge, so everyone in a community matters --- and we all need the help of others sometimes. Beautifully told and richly illustrated by Hanneke Siemensma, this engaging read-aloud has the timeless appeal of a folktale. It would be an excellent choice to begin conversations about the social studies concept of community and the character education topics of kindness and empathy. Kids Can Press

I would pair this book with Shelter by Celine Claire illustrated by Qin Leng.