I am so STRONG

The story moves at a lively pace, using clever repetition and vibrant illustrations to great effect. The wolf is a nasty, intimidating bully who has nothing good to say about anyone he meets on his walk. All he cares about is making sure everyone tells him he is the strongest in the woods. He name-calls and frightens all the characters into agreeing with him. The narrative bounds along with energy, supported by the rich and well-chosen vocabulary.

The illustrations reinforce the wolf’s inflated sense of importance; every time he appears, he is drawn much larger than the characters he encounters. Children love it when the ‘bad guy’ gets his comeuppance, and the ending of this story is brilliantly crafted both in the writing and in the artwork. The reader sees the wolf confront what he assumes is a small toad, only to discover it is actually a dragon whose mother truly is the biggest and strongest in the wood. Pure fairytale joy.