Member Reviews
This book was so fun. I loved that all the wolves ended up being sheep. What a cute twist. What I enjoyed the most about this book were the illustrations. The artwork was just the right amount of creepy and beautiful
A clever book that isn't for little ones but for older elementary children who still like story time. There is lots of meaning in the words. A dark but delightful book.
Interesting story, if a little predictable. I found the artwork more compelling than the story itself. The allusions to masking (referenced in the forward) could have been more nuanced I think. Suitable for both adult and child readers.
Bellwether Riggwelter is a sheep who lives alone in the forest. He discovers he is out of blackberries and is fearful to gather more as wolves lurk in the shadows and might be waiting for a nice juicy dinner and may just choose HIM as the main course! Rather than go without his beloved berries he hatches a plan that could keep him safe and allow him to pick the berries that he craves. Whatever could that plan be do you think?
Bellwether decides the best way to keep safe is disguising himself as one of those scary predators he's so fearful of. He crafts himself a wolf suit to wear so he will blend in. This enables him to pick his berries and then return home safely with his stash. Think it will work?
He puts his plan into practice and quickly finds out that it may be coming unravelled... coming apart at the seams... literally! Oh NO! His clever hand-sewn wolf suit has a few flaws that exposes to the other animals that he is not who he is pretending to be. They learn that Bellwether Riggwelter is not a scary wolf at all, in fact, he's really a petrified, terrified, sheep. Will he be the main course on their menu for dinner that night or by some miracle will he be saved from such a tragedy? The surprise twist at the end of the story is fantastic!
This tale is humorous, dark and then brought into the light. The illustrations are portrayed in graphic novel style, a style that kids love! Bellwether's fear is turned into happiness and joy as he learns how to celebrate who he is created to be and that he does not have to be an impostor to fit in and be accepted. Both young and old will be inspired by the heartwarming message. I whole-heartedly endorse this book.
A lovely little tail. Er, tale. Sid Sharp crafts a warm and loving little story about fear, fitting in, and friendship. It is hard not to immediately identify with Bellweather, a shy sheep who feels like he has to pretend to be someone different from who he is at home when he is out in the wild forest. Sharp deftly illustrates the ways in which performing for other people both exhausts and stresses Bellweather, and in doing so teaches an important lesson about being yourself. Society will always expect us to put on masks in order to move through the world, but there is great power to be found in authentic expression, which allows for real and lasting connection with others. Gorgeous illustrations with deep, inviting colors make the tale unforgettable.
I loved this story of fear & fitting in & blackberries. I think when I started it, I had an idea in my head of how it would turn out and so when it didn't go that way - wow. I'm still thinking about it hours later. The perfect ending. I love Bellwether Riggwelter and can't wait for him to have a spot on my shelves.
Bellwether is a sheep who is terrified of how wolves are ruining the outdoor atmosphere when he just wants to pick berries and be at peace. He makes himself a wolf suit so he can go out in disguise. What happens to the suit and his interactions with other wolves is anxiety-ridden and hilarious. This graphic novel shows different facets of, perspectives about, and experiences related to fear. This is a quick read with great illustrations. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
I really enjoyed this entertaining and unique book! The main character is a sheep who makes a wolf suit so he can travel into the woods without fear. I loved the silly twists and turns the story takes and the sheep's creative problem solving. The picture book is a little long so it would probably be best for age 4-6. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Bellwether Riggwelter has two passions in life : sewing and blackberries. As he is once again out of the delicious berries, he decides to explore the forest looking for a new harvest. But there are wolves in the woods. And they are so scary ! Never mind ! The sheep has a brilliant idea : he will sew a Wolf Suit, so no ferocious creature will recognize him !
The Wolf Suit is a graphic novel, but can also be considered as a picture book. Intended for Middle Grade children, it will be enjoyed by adults as well. Sid Sharp’s hand-painted illustrations are extraordinary. Simple and colorful, they introduce the reader to the main character, Bellwether Riggwelter, a small sheep scared by everything. The creature has a sad life, locked in his house in the dark everyday, as he is terrified by what is hiding in the forest. Even if the story can be considered as scary for younger readers, because of the wolf character, it is also extremely funny.
The idea of “wolf in sheep’s clothing” takes its full meaning in this story. Nothing and nobody is really as they appear and the proverb “don't judge a book by its cover” also works really well. I really enjoyed this book. It is surprising. Really unusual. And for those that would hesitate to read it because it seems sad and scary, it really isn’t. Bellwether Riggwelter story has a happy ending.
The book was cute. The ending was surprising, even for me as an adult. And the lesson/point was well taken. Some of the creatures did look a little scary, which might be a bit much for the younger kids. Otherwise, a cute book, with a pretty common lesson, but always good to be reminded of.
The Wolf Suit is a clever story of overcoming fear and finding your tribe. Perhaps it is a little scary at first--aren't most things? However, once you begin to uncover the true monsters in the woods, you realize that looks are sometimes deceiving. The Wolf Suit is a short graphic story about allowing one's self to take off the armor we wear as protection, and to learn to open up to others without fear. The illustrations are simple and beautiful, and the story is satisfying and heartwarming. Recommended for ages 6-11, and I think that's a great range. Younger children might be a little scared at first, but if read in one sitting, their fears will subside. A big thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book.
This is a children's picture book about a sheep who makes a wolf suit so that he can go in the forest without being eaten by wolves. He encounters other wolves who want to meet up later, and in doing so he learns that they aren't what they appear to be as well. This was a sweet story that teaches children that people can often pretend to be something they're not when they're afraid, and that appearances can be deceiving. Some of the illustrations were a bit rough but overall I thought they were creative and fun.
This middle grade book falls into multiple categories or types of books. It is a chapter book, at over 100 pages, but it is also a picture book because each page as at least one large picture and about 1-2 lines of text at most, often there is no text on a page at all. It is also sort of a graphic novel, as there are some pages with smaller boxes and speech or thought bubbles. I think that despite it not fitting perfectly into one type of book or another, that means it will appeal to a wide range of young readers. The book plays on the idiom "wolf in sheeps clothing" by being a sheep, wearing a wolf mask. The book starts with the description that it is for anyone who feels the need to blend in and I think that this idea of pretending to be someone you are not will hit home with the middle grade audience. The book is marketed to children in the Grade 1-6 range and I agree with that estimate. As a grade 3 teacher I could definitely see this book being enjoyed by students in my class. I would recommend this book to teachers and families of children in the 6-11 age range. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this great book!
We enjoyed reading this book. The illustrations are great. It was funny when we learned that all the wolves were really other animals dressing as wolves and that the sheep was able to get past his fears, especially now that he had friends.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was expecting this book to be a picture book rather than a graphic novel. It was a great story full of rich illustrations. I liked the twist on a wolf in sheep clothing. In the end, we learn to be happy with being ourselves.
THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE
The wolf suit by Sid Sharp is a children’s comic book about a sheep that must use his crafting skills to make a wolf suit so that he can go into the forest in peace to collect blackberries.
first off, I love the message. Its a twist on the term “wolf in sheep’s clothing” where it’s a sheep in wolves clothing. I emphasized with Bellwether. Having to change yourself in order to be around others to keep yourself safe.
Bellwether basically going “IM CALM IM CALM” as he aggressively sips his tea to the sound of howling wolves is such an absolute vibe that was perfectly captured by the art.
I love the art. The style is very visually pleasing on the eye. I did think the font of the words didn’t fit too well, but everything else from the color scheme to the formatting was amazing.
(I also put this review on Herd but it doesn’t allow links 💕)
What do you do when you run out of blueberries, and the only place to get more is in the big scary woods that probably is full of wolves? Bellwether Riggwelter, a sheep, decides to make a wolf suit so that he can go out with out fear of being eaten.
And it works. He fools the wolves, but he is not happy. He doesn't want to hang out and make friends with wolves. So what does he do in the end, but reveal that he is a sheep.
The consequences of this are not instant death, or anything like that. And Bellwethere learns that is best to be himself.
Perhaps a little heavy handed, but this is a good message to get across to adults and children. Better to always be yourself, then to pretend to be something else just to fit in.
<em> Thanks to netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>
This graphic novel was so cute! the illustrations gave the illusions of the animals being soft and welcoming and I couldn't stop reading. I loved the personality of the characters as they navigated their world as they work to figure out how to be wolves.