Review by Booklist Review
It starts out as a typical day for Oliver James. He goes to school and stays late for band practice, but while he stands at the bus stop, something strange happens. The cheerful scene of kids waiting with their instruments evaporates in a page turn, as the full moon shines down on fleeing silhouettes, an abandoned backpack and trumpet, and a werewolf holding drumsticks. Unaware of his transformation it is his first, after all Oliver James eventually catches sight of his fanged, hairy reflection in a puddle. And he is thrilled! Captured in a moonlit palette of purple, orange-brown, black, and yellow, he revels in his new super abilities (speed, strength, sense of smell), zipping around town and inadvertently scaring everyone he meets. Frith (Hello, Mr. Dodo!, 2017) knows how to make kids laugh, and here he accomplishes this by playing with readers' expectations. Despite the inherent coolness of his condition, Oliver James worries how his parents will react when they see him, but Frith has another twist in the works that will leave readers howling.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this comic horror tale by British author Frith (Hello, Mr. Dodo!), Oliver James, a boy with dark skin and curly black hair, waits for the bus after band practice under the full moon. All at once, his companions at the bus stop disappear, and the bus passes him by. His reflection in a puddle shows him that he's morphed into a stumpy, backpack-wearing werewolf with an overbite. After a moment of distress, he finds that being a werewolf is kind of fun: "Suddenly, Oliver James could run super-fast. He could leap super-high." Stylish retro spreads in Halloween-ish colors show Oliver gleefully chasing a terrified paper boy and lifting up a delivery van. He's late for dinner, but his parents aren't angry, because they've turned into werewolves, too. In the final spread, the morning sun shows the three seated at breakfast, their human forms restored. Readers will find much to amuse them in Oliver's adventures. However, the decision to portray him as a boy of color responsible for terrorizing his neighborhood under a full moon (it's worth noting that Oliver's community appears to be generally ethnically diverse), may unfortunately raise some unintended questions. Ages 4-8. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Young Oliver must hurriedly return home after band practice because his mother is serving dinner at six o'clock sharp. Under a bright, full moon, Oliver, who has brown skin and black curly hair, waits at the bus stop with his friends. Suddenly, everyone flees, and Oliver is left alone. Unbeknownst to Oliver, he has become werewolf, albeit a friendly-looking one. Oliver quickly comprehends his transformation after viewing his reflection in a puddle and to his amazement he discovers that he can now run super-fast, leap super-high, demonstrate super-strength and utilize a super-sense of smell. As he excitedly runs through the city, Oliver unintentionally scares pedestrians and patrons with his werewolf appearance. When Oliver remembers his promise to return by dinner time, he speeds home, but is nervous about how his parents will react to his transformation. But when he walks in the door, he receives a surprise of his own. The text flows nicely, but Frith's detailed, retro artwork, is the book's greatest strength. It will certainly remind some of a long-gone era, but it feels fresh and is ultimately successful. VERDICT A clever and amusing read-aloud, especially for very young children who think they want a scary story.-Emily Patti, Racine Public Library, WI © Copyright 2018. 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 Horn Book Review
As dusk descends, young Oliver and his fellow school-band members wait for their afterschool bus--hold on, why did everybody run away? The zippily cartooned pictures, in lusciously Halloweeny oranges and deep purples, explain: Oliver has become a werewolf. The boy's bewilderment turns to delight after he glimpses his lupine reflection--and the full moon--in a puddle. An additional surprise awaits at home. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An energetic young werewolf delights in his speed and strength in this British import.Oliver, depicted as a child with brown skin and tightly curled black hair, is at the bus stop when suddenly all of his friends flee. He doesn't understand why the bus won't stop for him nor why a man shouts, "Help! A werewolf!" when approacheduntil a glimpse of his reflection reveals his transformation. Oliver's excited to run, jump, and howl, but his glee is short-lived, quickly turning to anxiety: If friends run away terrified, how will his parents react? Happily, Oliver comes from a family of werewolveshis parents are unperturbed, and they're all human again at sunrise. Some readers may appreciate seeing this black child revel in supernatural abilities. However, the story also shows Oliver denied service on public transportation and treated as a menace on the street before he realizes he's a werewolf, which is serious, even distressing in an American context. Emotive illustrations, lupine jokes galore, and a vigorous story are balanced against troubling possible interpretations.The wolfish pictures are charmingly done, and the basic plot is sure to appeal, but the underpinning metaphor (regardless of intent) makes it difficult to recommend this title without reservations. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
