The Wolf in Underpants
(The Wolf in Underpants #1)

Gr 2-4--This funny story infused with a lesson about fake news opens with a fairy-tale staple: villagers confronting a looming terror, in this case a wolf with wild eyes and ice pick-like fangs. The woodland animal villagers spend their days learning about their foe, and when a friendly, goofy-underpants-clad wolf shows up one day, they warn him of the danger. It turns out, of course, that he's the terror in question, and the villagers are forced to admit that maybe living in fear isn't a way to live at all. The closing lesson becomes a little pedantic, but otherwise this is a fast-moving, amusing narrative topped off with almost-bad words (butt! undies!) that young readers will love. The attractive, detailed art uses woodland tones and features expressive creatures that resemble those drawn by Richard Scarry. VERDICT A winner whose short text and appealing artwork will find fans among emerging readers.-Henrietta Verma, Credo Reference, Jackson Heights, NY