Bernard, the Big Bad Wolf who lives in Louis' closet, is back (The Big Bad Wolf and Me, 2006). Huzzah! Bernard is pretty much under control, and he's even vegetarian (except for fish), so why shouldn't he go on vacation with Louis and his grandpa? It's not as easy as one might imagine. Grandpa takes to the talking wolf quite easily, although Bernard hates pretending he's a dog. He can't help choose sandwiches, for example, since Louis is afraid the wolf will forget to walk on four legs and not to talk. 'I am wounded by your lack of trust' says Bernard haughtily. They even argue over who will be first in the water (it turns out to be grandpa). Twelve chapters are done in comic-book style, with multiple squiggly sketches that seem artless but are vividly funny. Human figures are blue, the elongated and angular wolf is brown and solid (everyone else is linear), and the occasional crab or cow is done in rust or maroon. The language remains simple, accessible, charming and quite funny in this nifty follow-up. Readers may find metaphors about imaginary friends, taming one's fears or having special fun with grandparents, but mostly, they will go from giggles to guffaws with this disarming trio.” —Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“'The Big Bad Wolf Goes on Vacation' is Delphine Perret's very smart and thoroughly beguiling follow-up to the similarly marvelous 'Big Bad Wolf and Me' (2006), both of which were originally published in France. A hybrid picture book/chapter book/graphic novel for young children and newly confident readers, both books tell the story of Louis, a young boy with an active imagination and a Big Bad Wolf for a companion. His name is Bernard. And he's a secret.
He's also, occasionally, a distraction. He gets crumbs on Louis's neck while the child tries to finish his homework. 'You want me to leave you alone?' the Wolf asks, and when Louis says yes, can't help adding, 'I see you've made a few mistakes on your homework.' You can understand why Louis assents to the Wolf accompanying him on his beach vacation with Grandpa, with the caveat, 'You'd have to go incognito.'
This may not be difficult, since the Wolf is drawn as mere shadow, with a brown blurry silhouette that stands in sharp contrast to Louis's bright blue outlines. He is often mistaken for a dog. There's also little danger of him eating anyone. 'You forget that I'm a vegetarian,' he points out to Louis. 'But you love salmon and sardines!' Louis retorts.
So goes the typical dialogue between the two friends—sometimes familiar, sometimes kvetchy—and it's just one of the book's many great charms. (At one point, the Wolf complains to Louis, 'I am wounded by your lack of trust.') Grown-ups will adore Grandpa and children will adore Louis. This Big Bad Wolf will win over everybody." —New York Times
“It's been a while since The Big Bad Wolf and Me (2006), but Perret's little boy and his friend Bernard (aka the Big Bad Wolf) have lost none of their droll charm. Twelve short chapters tell the enjoyably aimless story of the boy taking a trip to the beach with his grandfather. Of course, Bernard wants to come, too. And he promises not to eat Grandpa! The subsequent road trip is colored by Bernard's hurt feelings (especially when a toll-booth worker calls him a 'cute little doggie'), childlike excitement . . . and mannered disdain ('I am wounded by your lack of trust'). Perret's pencil illustrations, usually delivered in four thumbnail sketches per page, are wonderfully spare, relying on just a few lines to give a sense of setting and props. The boy and his grandfather are equally doodle-like, while the wolf is an enigmatic silhouette that lends itself to individual interpretation. This is more attitude and style than anything else, but it has both in spades.” —Booklist
Praise for The Big Bad Wolf and Me:
A Miami Herald Best Book
A Nick Jr. Family Magazine “Editors' Pick”
“A little boy coaches a frightened wolf back to big-badness . . . both sophisticated and sublimely silly, this should please readers and listeners of all ages.” —Kirkus (starred review)
“This charming book sings with humor.” —School Library Journal
“Sophisticated humor makes the tale of an unlikely friendship between a boy and a down-on-his-luck wolf a chapter book not to be missed.” —Nick Jr. Family Magazine
“Irresistible . . . replete with the kind of ironic-cool humor and subtlety that made the 'Calvin and Hobbes' cartoons so beloved . . . takes simplicity and the art of the drawn line to admirable heights.” —The Boston Globe
PreS-Gr 4—This follow-up to Perret's The Big Bad Wolf and Me (Sterling, 2006) again stars Louis and his wolf friend, Bernard. Similar in style and format to the first volume, the story is told through snappy dialogue and expressive pencil line drawings. With Louis's last school assignment completed and summer break beginning, Grandpa invites the child on a trip to the ocean. When Louis asks to bring along Bernard, Grandpa consents. During their travels, the three enjoy lunch in a park when they can't take Bernard into a restaurant, come upon a herd of odiferous cows blocking the roadway, and stop to stretch their legs near woods. Arriving at the seaside, Louis and Bernard partake of plenty of interactive seaside fun. The humorous characters are memorable, and the translation is smooth. Perret uses different font sizes and bold print to indicate which character is speaking. Comical sketches of Grandpa and Louis are drawn in blue while drawings of Bernard are in black. The artwork has been colored digitally for the English-language edition. Told through 12 short chapters, the story can be read and enjoyed independently from the first book. Readers will be left wanting more Louis and Bernard adventures.—Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH
Bernard, the Big Bad Wolf who lives in Louis' closet, is back (The Big Bad Wolf and Me, 2006). Huzzah! Bernard is pretty much under control, and he's even vegetarian (except for fish), so why shouldn't he go on vacation with Louis and his grandpa? It's not as easy as one might imagine. Grandpa takes to the talking wolf quite easily, although Bernard hates pretending he's a dog. He can't help choose sandwiches, for example, since Louis is afraid the wolf will forget to walk on four legs and not to talk. "I am wounded by your lack of trust" says Bernard haughtily. They even argue over who will be first in the water (it turns out to be grandpa). Twelve chapters are done in comic-book style, with multiple squiggly sketches that seem artless but are vividly funny. Human figures are blue, the elongated and angular wolf is brown and solid (everyone else is linear), and the occasional crab or cow is done in rust or maroon. The language remains simple, accessible, charming and quite funny in this nifty follow-up. Readers may find metaphors about imaginary friends, taming one's fears or having special fun with grandparents, but mostly, they will go from giggles to guffaws with this disarming trio. (Graphic novel. 5-10)
