Wolf Academy

A pair of cubless wolves adopt an orphan they find wandering in the forest but his subsequent development doesn't quite come up to expectations: 'Send him to The Wolf Academy' advises the Leader of the Pack. There, however, Phillip proves to be anything but star pupil material. He's a total disaster at leering and lurking, snarling, huffing and puffing, his attitude just is not right and his efforts at blood-chilling howling serve only to bring the Instructor's blood to the boil. Step Six - disguising oneself as a sheep - seems doomed to failure, but it is in this class that Phillip finally shows his true colours and before long finds himself making a fresh start - at the Sheepdog Academy of Excellence where he rapidly becomes top dog. A liberal sprinkling of bubble talk and delightfully larger than life illustrations of the lupine (and not so lupine) characters and their antics greatly extend the matter of fact telling and merit close attention: how expressive Allen makes those eyes. Such features are best enjoyed in small group sharing though the story is certainly strong enough and witty enough for whole class enjoyment. I have to admit to a favourable predisposition towards books which play with the conventions of traditional tales and this one certainly did not disappoint.