Commentaire descriptif

After enjoying a story at bedtime, Herb makes his mother take the book away, because of the scary wolf. One night his mother forgets, and he finds himself face to face with a couple of wolves. Children will enjoy the banter that ensues, as Herb must think fast to avoid getting eaten. Bright colours and touches of collage fill the energetic lines that define these bold, expressive illustrations. Loose, carefree language bursts out of these pages. Phrases such as “Quick as a quick thing,” and “Things had taken a turn for the really quite bad,” are surprising and fun. Children’s own vocabulary will be enriched by a number of UK idioms: “The story got very nasty in the middle and everybody nearly came to a sticky end.” The text font varies in size and layout, often molding itself to the curves of the illustrations. This reflects the topsy-turvy nature of this story, where wolves go to the ball, and Cinderella has to stay home and do the dishes after all. With the help of a fairy godmother, Herb manages to put everything to rights, “happy-ever-afterly.” The last spread shows Herb with his bed resting on top of his stacked books, keeping them safely shut for the night.