The sheep in wolf's clothing

Helen Lester

Book - 2007

Clothing is important to Ewetopia, but her carefully-chosen wolf outfit fails to impress the other sheep at the Woolyones' costume ball until a real wolf appears dressed as a sheep, mistakes her for his mother, and throws a tantrum when she outsmarts him.

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jE/Lester
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room jE/Lester Checked In
Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
Boston : Houghton Mifflin 2007.
Language
English
Main Author
Helen Lester (-)
Other Authors
Lynn Munsinger (illustrator)
Item Description
"Walter Lorraine books."
Physical Description
32 p. : col. ill. ; 25 cm
ISBN
9780618868445
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Ewetopia, a young sheep, is uncomfortable in her own wool. She tries to hide her insecurity in elaborate outfits, but none of the other sheep pays any attention. Then she's invited to a costume ball, and she chooses an outfit that no one can ignore: a wolf suit. At first, the other sheep disapprove of her choice, until a real wolf arrives, dressed in a sheep suit, and it's the disguised Ewetopia who dispatches the predator and saves her herd. The screwball farce doesn't really hold together; the ending, which resolves in a who's-on-first joke, is particularly weak. But kids will relate to the idea of using clothes to gain confidence, and they will feel reassured when Ewetopia is finally accepted and welcomed by those who snubbed her. Best of all, though, are the winning watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, which display Ewetopia's every outfit and mood with precise line work and affectionate humor. Once again, Munsinger has created a set of endearing animal characters who echo children's anxieties and struggles with irresistible accuracy.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2007 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Lester and Munster (Hooway for Wodney Wat) do it again, striking a winning combination of witty wordplay and hilarious images. Ewetopia, a sheep who is "not comfortable in her own wool," dons an array of outrageous outfits in a futile attempt to impress her peers. When she receives an invitation to the Woolyones' Costume Ball, she determines to outshine everyone. Not until she tries on 57 costumes does she-in a "Ewereka!" moment-find the perfect one: a wolf's suit. At the ball, her disguise draws ample attention, yet not of the desirable sort ("Bad taste," "Faulty judgment," bleat the other attendees). Then all eyes shift to a handsome stranger entering the ballroom, whom readers will recognize as a wolf in sheep's clothing, his tail, feet, paws and snout comically protruding from his wooly costume. In a pleasingly absurd twist, he mistakes Ewetopia for his mother and suggests that they grab "a couple of fat woolyones" and go home to eat, which puzzles her ("What kind of a creep would dine on a sheep?"). Eventually Ewetopia wises up, of course, and slyly manages to drive the wolf from the ball and save her wooly comrades (their names are Ewecalyptus, Ewetensil and Heyewe). Extremely amewesing. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 1-3-A pun-filled tale with sheep that have names like Ewetopia, Ewecalyptus, and Ewetensil. Older children are more likely to appreciate the puns, while younger ones will simply enjoy the humor. All poor Ewetopia wants is to be noticed, and she gets her chance to shine when she is invited to the Woolyones' Ball. After trying on 57 costumes, she decides that dressing as a wolf will get her the most attention. With a sheep disguised as a wolf and a wolf as a sheep, trouble is sure to be right around the corner. The playful illustrations, suffused with expression and shades of pink, show sheep outfitted in tutus and an Elvis costume, and the wolf having a tantrum. Lester follows a familiar format in this clever tale, which would work well when compared to and contrasted with others that involve sheep and wolves.-Judy Chichinski, Skyline Elementary School, Tacoma, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Ewetopia lives among a flock of the humorless and uptight. She has an issue, too--she's uncomfortable in her own wool--but her need to hide in an outfit is carried out with a degree of panache. Still, her cohorts don't get her act, and they are positively offended when she arrives at the Woolyones' Costume Ball dressed as a wolf, which seems like a natural. When a character dressed as a sheep appears, no one's the wiser until he rips off his disguise, revealing himself as a wolf, and snatches a few ewes for supper. The wolf has an Achilles heel, though--he thinks Ewetopia is his mother. Gaining on this advantage, Ewetopia demands the wolf do a number of chores before dinner is served. He has a fit, storms out of the ball and the lambs' chops are saved. Munsinger's artwork catches the quiet to madcap moods of the book, but the usually spot-on Lester is groping for a coherent story line. The cobbled result has humorous parts--the wolf's tantrum and some enjoyable "Who's on First" wordplay. But the book fails to gel, and why any of this should result in Ewetopia's acceptance of her own true self is a mystery. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.