Wolves

When Rabbit goes to the library (West Bucks Public Burrowing Library) he borrows an information books, Wolves, and soon becomes engrossed in reading the many interesting facts about those creatures (‘An adult wolf has 42 teeth.’) whilst remaining oblivious to the danger signs that surround him as he wanders, nose in book. This is Rosie’s Walk without the happy ending (nothing but the book remains) although ‘for more sensitive readers’ Gravett supplies an alternative in which rabbit and (now vegetarian) wolf become friends. Her use of a collage made of torn up bits of previous illustrations for this afterthought underlines its unconvincing nature…

This extraordinarily assured book about a book pays witty homage to the public library service – there is even a letter reminding Rabbit that his book is overdue on his doormat at the finis that serves as a poignant reminder of his fate. With his elongated ears and innocent absorption Rabbit appears rather tremulously serious – no match for wolf who is depicted with a vigorous bristly pencil line. The cover of Rabbit’s library book is red and this colour serves to inform us of rabbit’s fate. Thus story is created by the interplay of text, colour and line to dynamic and accomplished effect. Quite superb! Hard to believe that this is Gravett’s first picture book.