THE WOLF AND THE FLY

Kids will enjoy this test of their powers of observation in this German import via New Zealand, but caregivers may cringe at the devil-may-care approach to choking hazards.

Author/illustrator Damm’s The Visitor earned her a Best Illustrated Book nod from the New York Times in 2018. This book, unfortunately, though playful in intent, is muddled. The artwork is wonderful—the protagonist, a hungry little wolf, has an abundance of personality, and he stands out against the bright, monochromatic backgrounds. Each facing page features three shelves of his “toys,” as they’re described on the back of the book. They include a duck, an apple, a fish, a cactus, a car, a fly, a bird, and a cat. The wolf, “feeling a bit peckish today,” eats one unspecified item at a time. With each turn of the page, young readers are challenged to identify which item is missing, and they will likely squeal with delight as they do. Caregivers who’ve had to yell, “Don’t put that in your mouth!” or wrestle a choking hazard from the jaws of a toddler may be less amused. If this sparks a “Can you really eat that?” conversation, perhaps that’s all to the good. Kids will also enjoy a bit of potty humor—all that eating occasions a quick trip to the bathroom—and a climactic puke scene, as the titular housefly proves one morsel too many

Hard to swallow.