Wolfy by Gregoire Solotareff

Gecko Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781776571574.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship, Acceptance. New Zealand house, Gecko Press publishes 'curiously good books' so a book that landed on my desk, first published nearly thirty years ago, is full of promise.
Rabbit had never seen a wolf, so when Wolfy is left alone after his uncle dies while teaching him how to hunt, the two become friends. They work together to bury uncle's body, Tom asking Wolfy if is true that wolves eat rabbits. Wolfy tells him that some do, but not him, and Tom tells him that he is not scared of him. They do everything together, roaming the hills, fishing together, playing hide and seek, and Wolfy teaches Tom how to run really well. But one day, when playing 'who's afraid of the big bad wolf', Wolfy opens his now quite large mouth and roars, scaring Tom so much that he runs home and hides in his bed. Tom is beside himself, refusing to communicate with his former friend despite all the apologies that Wolfy speaks through the door.
So Wolfy leaves, but in crossing the mountain he is attacked by other wolves and must run for his life.
He goes back to Tom, more apologetic than ever, because now he truly understands what fear is, and takes to heart the song, 'who's afraid of the big bad wolf'.
The two remain friends, each understanding the other a whole lot more, content in their friendship.
First published in France in 1989, this moral tale will have many new followers, intrigued by a friendship between a rabbit and a wolf, but equally hopeful that it will be a lasting friendship when the two can put themselves in the other's shoes and understand what each is going through.
The book will elicit much discourse amongst its readers, and be a useful tool for discussions in the classroom about resolving difference. Indeed this is a 'curiously good book', displaying the 'good heart and strong character' implicit in the books chosen by this company to publish and well worth reading many times over.
Fran Knight