Wolfie and Fly

Renata Wolfman (aka Wolfie), a proud loner fascinated with undersea life, begrudgingly makes her first friend in neighbor Livingston Flott (aka Fly), an exuberant singer-songwriter who isn’t exactly swimming in pals himself. The two bond over a refrigerator-box submarine Wolfie has built, which she insists “is for educational purposes, not make-believe.” Fagan (Danny, Who Fell in a Hole) has lots of fun with the comedic contrast between Wolfie’s misanthropic tendencies and Fly’s enthusiasm, especially after the submarine seems to actually take to the seas (“Maybe you should take it easy on our oxygen supply,” Wolfie quips after the ocean’s beauty inspires Fly to reach for his guitar). Newcomer Si makes the most of the everyday-meets-fantastical setup in her b&w spot cartoons. It’s a promising first outing for this memorable odd couple. Ages 7–10. (Jan.)