Brave Charlotte and the Wolves

In her second adventure, Charlotte takes on a “big, bad gang” of sheep who call themselves “The Wolves.” The gang likes to pick on Jack, an old sheepdog, and scare the other sheep by howling from the bushes at night. When the howl of a real wolf leads Charlotte to climb high up on the rocks (“A sheep going to check on wolves? Unheard of!”), she discovers yet another “sheep” in wolf's clothing. Charlotte stands out from the anxious flock and from the Wolves, her expressive eyes and determination ably expressed in Wilson's nuanced acrylics. The “gotcha” lesson Charlotte and her new friend teach the Wolves falls a little flat—it's Charlotte's pluck that really drives the story. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)