Footprints in the Snow

Story

Fed up with all the nasty stories that give wolves a bad name, Wolf decides to write one himself to set the record straight. He writes about Mr. Nice Wolf who just wants to make a friend. The problem is neither squirrel nor rabbit nor frog nor duck trust him. They all think he’s up to mischief. But can a wolf change his ways in the end or not?

Why we chose it

A challenge to the stereotypical storybook wolf. Can the Big Bad Wolf become Mr Nice Wolf?

Where it came from

Mei Matsuoka (1981-) is a UK based Japanese-English children's illustrator and author. She graduated from Kingston University with a BA Hons in Illustration & Animation, and has worked as a freelance illustrator, specialising in children’s books. Mai has worked on a number of books for both the UK and Japanese markets.

Where it went next

Footprints in the Snow was shortlisted for the “Read it Again! The Cambridgeshire Children’s Picture Book Awards” in December 2007

In January 2008, the book was long-listed for the Booktrust Big Pictures’s “Best New Illustrator Award” and in 2009 it was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Footprints in the Snow has also been translated in to Welsh and German

Associated stories

In 2005 Mai’s illustrations for a short story, Ten-san, Kame-san, Muri-san Go On a Journey, won first prize in a UNESCO sponsored competition. Mei’s first picture book, Burger Boy, developed in collaboration with writer Alan Durant, won the Portsmouth Children’s Book Award in 2007.