Beware of the Storybook Wolves

I was so delighted to discover there's another Herb story...and so sad to find out it is out of print.

Herb, who learns about the importance of taking care of your books in Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book, loves scary stories, especially scary stories about fairytale wolves. When it's time to go to bed, he carefully reminds his mother to take those scary wolves with her.

But one night....she forgets. Herb must use his wits and some unexpected help from other fairytale characters to save himself from the Storybook Wolves!

Lauren Child's easily recognizable kooky collage illustrations fit perfectly with the outrageously fractured fairy tale characters and every child will perfectly understand Herb's night-time fears - and applaud his show more courage and cleverness.

Verdict: It's soooo sad that Herb's book adventures are out of print! Please bring them back! Luckily, there are plenty of used copies around and it's worth finding one for your collection.

ISBN: 978-0439205009; Published April 2001 by Arthur A Levine; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for my personal collection show less

I enjoyed the storyline of this book. It began with a mom reading a bedtime story to her son Herb. When she finished, she left the book in Herb's room and when he woke up, the wolves from the story were in his room ready to eat him. Herb tricked the wolves into not eating him right away and managed to call upon the fairy godmother to help. This book is a great book to read to elementary students that will keep them engaged.

Love, love, love. When the wolves come out of the story books then it's all over, unless you can find other characters, in other storybooks, to fight the wolves. Happily, Herb has a few books he's familiar with near to hand.

The wolves are so funny, as are the other characters who emerge. Tremendously appealing at every age, we all love this one.

Library copy. nice riff on fairy tale books
2005 Dec 7 2008 Jun 25

Herb is a brave little boy who knows what happens when story books are left out at night. When his mother rushes from his room to take a phone call Herb is left all alone and he starts to hear something in his room. He turns to turn on the light and there he sees before him are two wolves straight out of his storybooks. The wolves are really excited because they think they are in for a treat, to eat little Herb! But Herb is quick on his feet and convinces them that little boys are dessert and they must start with an appetizer first. While the wolves are trying to find their appetizer of Jell-O Herb cleverly shakes a Fairy Godmother from one of his fairy tale story books. She tell the wolves they are being ridiculous and that the little show more boy out smarted them. With a wave of her wand, one of the wolves was now wearing Cinderella's ball gown and the other was turned in to a tiny caterpillar. Since Herb has now seen what is capable of story books left in the dark he stacks them all up and puts the heaviest thing he knows on top of them to keep them closed, his bed. And happily ever after. Fun story! I thought it was a great combination of some classic fairy tales. This a really funny and engaging book to read. show less

Herb understands the danger of storybooks left unsecured at night. Wolves can escape from the pages and eat little boys. Luckily, Herb is more cunning than the wolves and for a while he manages to avoid being eaten. When he runs out of ways to hold them off, Herb shakes Cinderella's sassy Fairy Godmother out of her book and pleads for her help. Her interesting way of dealing with the wolves leaves the fairy tales of Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella considerably altered.

Beware of the Storybook Wolves is a creative tribute to the power of a good book when it is coupled with a child's vivid imagination. The story and the illustrations make for a delightful and funny reading experience.

A little boy finds he can pull characters out of his storybooks and interact with them. Seems like it should be fun, but never really takes off. Maybe it was that there were too many words on each page or that the art was just a bit too ugly. Oh, well.

Herb's mother always read him a story about Little Red Riding Hood and the big bad wolf before bed and she always took the book with her because Herb was afraid that the wolves would get out. However one night Herb's mother forgot the book and so the Wolves got out and decided to eat Herb however Herb had some tricks up his sleeve and used his other stories to help him with his dilemma. This is a fun story to read aloud and is also a great example of a child's imagination.