When a Wolf Is Hungry

by Christine Naumann-Villemin, Kris Di Giacomo (Illustrator)

Overview

ALA Youth Media Awards: 2018 Batchelder Honor Award Winner

A darkly humorous tale with a twist ending

Edmond Bigsnout, lone wolf that he is, loves his solitary cabin in the woods. But lately he's been craving urban rabbit for dinner, so he travels into the city to catch one. Unfortunately, the rabbit has a lot of neighbors—who mistake Edmond for a kind and helpful resident! Perhaps Edmond can become a good neighbor, despite his bad intentions.

Readers of all ages will devour this story about a wolf who decides that if you can't eat them, join them.

Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2017
Cooperative Children's Book Center’s "CCBC Choices 2018”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467464734
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	08/07/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	34
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Christine Naumann-Villemin began her career as a speech therapist, inventing stories for her young patients. Today, Christine is a professor and librarian living in France. She tests her story ideas on her three children, cat, and hamster.

Kris Di Giacomo is an American who has lived in Paris since childhood. She has illustrated over twenty-five picture books, including Take Away the A (Enchanted Lion), which was named an ALA Notable Book in 2015. Visit her website at www.krisdigiacomo.com.

Editorial Reviews

06/19/2017
In terms of weaponry, Naumann-Villemin’s edgy picture book gives the board game Clue a run for its money. Hungry for a “grain-fed, silky-rabbit,” a wolf named Edmond Bigsnout bicycles into town to find one. After letting himself into an apartment building that’s home to one “Max Omatose, miniature rabbit,” Edmond makes the rookie mistake of leaving his knife in the elevator. Another resident swipes it (“That’s just what I need to cut this cake!”), so Edmond returns home to retrieve a chainsaw, since “sliced rabbit is delicious, too!” But another neighbor asks to borrow the chainsaw, and so it goes with the rope, cooking pot, and charcoal grill Edmond brings to the building after subsequent back-and-forth trips. French writer Naumann-Villemin’s story seesaws between neighborliness and menace, and Di Giacomo (Have You Seen My Trumpet?) is along for the ride, giving Edmond sharp fangs—and a dapper tuxedo—while alternating between shadowy, thriller-worthy moments and Edmond’s humorous interactions with the building’s residents. Eventually, gentility, vegetarianism, and the prospect of romance win out, delivering a happy ending for wolf and rabbit alike. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews (STARRED review)
"As funny and as exquisitely put together as Edmond Bigsnout himself."

School Library Journal
"A big, bad wolf story with a big-hearted ending. Great for read-alouds and small group sharing."

Publishers Weekly
"French writer Naumann-Villemin’s story seesaws between neighborliness and menace, and Di Giacomo (Have You Seen My Trumpet?) is along for the ride, giving Edmond sharp fangs—and a dapper tuxedo—while alternating between shadowy, thriller-worthy moments and Edmond’s humorous interactions with the building’s residents. Eventually, gentility, vegetarianism, and the prospect of romance win out, delivering a happy ending for wolf and rabbit alike."

Horn Book Guide
"The story, whose meticulous illustrations accommodate humor and menace, is a whip-smart merger of fairy-tale motifs and modern-day mores. "

From the Publisher

★ 2017-06-05
Lone wolf Edmond Bigsnout sets off from his country home to kill and eat a "city bunny"—and becomes enmeshed in a life-altering adventure.From the start, the text and the masterful, mixed-media artwork are both funny and suspenseful. The elegantly dressed wolf strides across the autumn-tree-studded initial pages, sharp knife in carefully manicured paw, as he heads for his urban craving: "a grain-fed, silky-haired rabbit, one with just a hint of sweetness." The wolf rides his bike to the city, soon finding an apartment building with a promising tenant for his culinary desires: "Max Omatose, miniature rabbit, 5th floor." In his haste to reach said floor, Edmond leaves his knife in the elevator, where it is soon appropriated by a third-floor turkey. Edmond pedals back to the country, this time grabbing his chain saw. Each time he arrives with a different sinister tool, some other resident, thinking Edmond is a new tenant, gratefully borrows the tool. (Edmond may be bloodthirsty, but he is unfailingly polite.) By the time he has lugged a barbecue to the apartment house, the hungry lone wolf is greeted by the most come-hither-looking lupine lady in picture-book history: Miss Eyestopper. Edmond is still determined to eat that rabbit, but fate steps in and ensures a happy ending for everyone. As funny and as exquisitely put together as Edmond Bigsnout himself. (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews