Those Poor wolves.
Have you ever read a story where the wolf is a hero? The wolf is the good character? Or the wolf is someone that we should all look up to?
I haven’t but perhaps there is hope that not every story with a wolf in it has terror within!
Wolfie: An unlikely Hero by Deborah Abela and Connah Brecon is a humorous tale where a wolf tries to take on the storytelling skills of the narrator…and gets more than he bargained for!
Wolfie wants to be known for his running skills, his gleaming teeth, his loyalty and his bravery and the narrator takes note….but not in the way Wolfie was hoping for.
Wolf: an unlikely hero made us laugh and it also made us feel sorry for poor Wolfie – but it also made us think that perhaps we shouldn’t trust wolves…or should we?
Wolfie: an unlikely hero allows the reader to see how stories, when changed in the slightest way, can make huge differences. This story shows the reader how wonderful storytelling is and that we can all play a big role in telling different stories.
Fairytales are great places to help children become interested in reading and Wolfie plays on all of those wolf containing stories!
How can you add more to this story?
LITERACY
Predict: What do you think will happen to this wolf? Why is he an unlikely hero? How do the other characters on the front and back cover feel about this wolf?
Visualise: Think about how the wolf wants to be seen and how the narrator sees him by using the same words.
Storytelling: How can you create a story with many different endings? What events need to happen so a story can be changed so easily?
Reflect: Think about all of the different stories with wolves in them. Group these according to the different types of personalities, things they get up to and how the story finishes for the wolf.
Stereotyping:
How are wolves portrayed in different stories? How are princesses portrayed? Pigs? Dragons?
What is stereotyping and how do we stereotype in society?
Fairytales:
Can you create a fairytale with a different ending?
Recommended for ages 3 and up. It’s a great book to link in with fairytales!
