View source for Charlotte and the Wolves by Anu Stohner and Henrike Wilson

{{infobox2
|title=Charlotte and the Wolves
|author=Anu Stohner and Henrike Wilson
|reviewer=Keith Dudhnath
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=The follow-up to [[Brave Charlotte by Anu Stohner and Henrike Wilson|Brave Charlotte]] sees the courageous sheep checking out the howls of wolves. It's a gentle tale with sweet illustrations to match. Worth a look, particularly for those on the cusp of reading for themselves.
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1846160646
|pages=32
|publisher=Bloomsbury
|date=March 2010
|aznuk=1408802589
|aznus=1599904241
|cover=1408802589
}}

Hot on the heels of her adventure in [[Brave Charlotte by Anu Stohner and Henrike Wilson|Brave Charlotte]], the brave little sheep is back. She's as bold as ever, and the older sheep have stopped worrying about her wild ways. Added into the mix are a gang of teenage sheep who call themselves The Wolves and worry the lambs. When real wolf howls can be heard, but not by the shepherd or Jack the old sheepdog, it's down to Charlotte to save the day again.

Charlotte's a sweet character with a heart of gold and a courageous streak a mile long. She'll always do the right thing for the good of others, and is inspirational without being goody-two-shoes or smarmy. She's strong without being hard. There's a lot to admire in her. The text (translated from German) is a little longer than the average picture book, making it ideal for young readers on the cusp of reading themselves, or those who want a bit more plot in their stories. There's plenty of action, but it unfolds at a gentle pace that ensures there's never anything scary going on. It's fairly standard fare, but it ticks all the right boxes and is good fun.

Henrike Wilson's illustrations suit the tone of ''Charlotte and the Wolves'' perfectly. The painted sheep look appropriately cloud-like, and the countryside looks lovely. Despite the bravery and action, there's a sedate atmosphere to the whole book, which works really well. Whilst you won't pore over every page, it flows nicely.

''Charlotte and the Wolves'' is an enjoyable book with a sweetness to it that will strike a chord with many. It's not the sort of book that will immediately become a firm favourite, but it's a fine addition to any bookshelf that will be enjoyed whenever it gets an airing. Worth a look.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

For more sheep-based fun, check out [[Go To Sleep, Sheep! by Julie Sykes and Melanie Williamson]], [[Pete the Sheep by Jackie French]], [[Derek the Sheep by Gary Northfield]], and our particular favourite [[Marvin Gets MAD! by Joseph Theobald]]. For tales of bravery, check out [[Red Ted and the Lost Things by Michael Rosen and Joel Stewart]] and [[One True Bear by Ted Dewan]].

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[[Category:Anu Stohner]]
[[Category:Henrike Wilson]]