Wolves

Story

A rabbit visits the library and gets out a book about wolves. The rabbit is so engrossed in what he is reading, he doesn’t notice who is creeping along behind him...

Why we chose it

A very clever, beautifully designed book, full of suspense and humour – and with a very satisfying ending.

Where it came from

Emily Gravett was born in Brighton in 1972. After leaving school she spent eight years travelling the UK in a big green bus with her partner and daughter, and now lives with them back in Brighton. Wolves came from a project at university where she drew a picture of a wolf formed from trees. From there she made a book. The story was, in part, inspired by Pat Hutchins’ Rosie’s Walk. She loves to use texture and innovative techniques in her illustrations.

Where it went next

Wolves won the Kate Greenaway award in 2005.

Associated stories

Gravett won the Kate Greenaway award again in 2008 for Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears. Her 2019 book Cyril and Pat, a story about two squirrels, won the inaugural BookTrust StoryTime Prize. Her other picture books include Tidy, The Odd Egg, Again, Meerkat Mail, Matilda’s Cat, Monkey and Me, and Wolf Won’t Bite. Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear is hugely popular, despite only having five different words in it. She has also illustrated for other writers, including Cave Baby with Julia Donaldson, The Imaginary with AF Harrold and 101 Poems for Children chosen by Carol Ann Duffy.