Wednesday 8 June 2011

MY what big teeth you've got .....

Whilst having a dabble in the Twittersphere I stumbled upon the delightful Nadia Shireen (@NadiaShireen) who happens to have just published her very first picture book- Good Little Wolf!



Without even a suggestion that I very-much-might like to give "Good Little Wolf" a good sniffing Nadia had arranged for a copy to be sent tout sweet to Book Sniffer Towers.

One was very impressed with the rapidity of the delivery courtesy of Random House Children's Books and which arrived beautifully packaged tied up with bright pink string containing a press release and hilarious mini wolf magazine which includes a tittersome quiz to identify whether you are a good or bad wolf through a series of multiple choice questions including my personal favourite Do you smell like (a) Sunshine and flowers or (b) fear and meat? - a very nice touch and bonus gold stars to the Publicity Department for attention to detail!   (there is a nice photo but it's currently stuck in the technosphere)



I relished the super stylish minimal cover with vibrant touches of illuminating fuschia pink and blood red and the insides are an utter delight!.

Mouse enjoying teh pink string! (simple things!)


Red Riding Hood is one of my all time fave stories so I was eagerly anticipating a retelling.

You are instantly introduced to the ever so charming good little wolf who take note, is ever so nice and very good at making cakes (Take note James Mayhew!) and eating his veg.
Good Little Wolf is best friends with a bonkers old Grandma by the name of Mrs Boggins , Mrs Boggins takes it upon herself (as a matter of friendly duty of course) to tell good little wolf that eating up your veg and generally being nice are not always the types of behaviour expected of a wolf especially one whom might be featuring in a story book.


In search of enlightenment Good Wolf comes across Big Bad Wolf (in the woods..natch) Big wolf is meaner and more cantankerous than the meanest of mean soap opera villains and teaches Good Wolf just how he should be behaving...and it's not good. Our hero Good Wolf is not awfully good and being bad and mostly fails at 99% of Big Bad Wolfs evil challenges - PHEW.
After numerous *fails* Good Wolf bamboozles Big Bad Wolf in a tangle of grandmas' knitting yarn with hilarious consequences!....

SMALL PRINT :
But dear reader...this isn't your average fairy tale and if you go down to the woods today..be sure of a BIG surprise..RAH!
*pulls scary wolfy fang face and leaps out from behind the sofa*


Nadia studied at Anglia Ruskin University and this is her first foray into the world of picture books - her very subtle palette and unique paper cut/collage style really stands out and if I had a pound to bet I would put it on this being the first of many little gems from this fearsomely good and utterly vibrant new talent.

Visit Nadia's blog / website here and show your support (if you visit her online portfolio look out for my personal faves on pgs 4/5/16 and 17 SMASHING! - you should also seek Nadia out on Twitter @NadiaShireen and say a friendly hello!

THANK YOU to Nadia Shireen and Random House / Jonathan Cape books for sending us this tittersome wolfy treat!

4 comments:

  1. Great share, thanks!

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  2. "dissapoint"?
    An interesting spelling! ;o)

    This book looks wonderful, thanks for the heads up. I am off to look at Nadia's blog/site now.

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  3. Note taken Doggy-doodle.

    Actually I know this book well - Nadia studied in Cambridge on the MA where I teach part time. She wasn't one of my regular students, but it was lovely tp see the book grow from student project to publishing sensation.

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  4. This looks really good, thanks for pointing it out. I shall off to look at more of Nadia's stuff :)

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