Big Wolf & Little Wolf - by Nadine Brun-Cosme (Hardcover)

About the Book

A book children will understand, this deserves a place on their shelves and in their hearts.

Book Synopsis

A Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book of 2010!

Big Wolf lives alone under a tree at the top of a hill. He is alone, but happy. One day, another wolf arrives: a little wolf. Without a word, Little Wolf sits down next to Big Wolf. He stays all night and all the next day. At first, Big Wolf is suspicious and worried that Little Wolf will grow bigger and become a rival. After a while, however, he starts to feel fond of his small companion. That night, he decides to let Little Wolf share his blanket. The next day, he shares some of his lunch.

Just as Big Wolf is starting to get used to his new friend, Little Wolf disappears. Big Wolf is too proud to cry, but the reader cannot miss the great emotion that overwhelms him. Big Wolf loses his appetite and cannot sleep. He spends his time staring at the horizon, waiting for Little Wolf to return, but without the slightest reason to hope that he will.

Will Little Wolf return? If he does, Big Wolf's heart might just burst with joy. Could this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?

Review Quotes

Batchelder Honor Book 2010

ALA Notable Books 2010

Prix de l'album 2007 Cherbourg

Prix France Télévision 2006

Prix des Enfants 2006 du Salon Chrétien de Troyes

Prix littéraire jeunesse de 2006 Chambray-les-tours

Adopted by the French National curriculum

"This is a book that deserves a place on readers' shelves and in their hearts."--Booklist
"With great subtlety and sensitivity, [Big Wolf and Little Wolf] invites a meditation on loneliness, the meaning of solidarity, the relationship between the ego and the capacity for love, and the little tendrils of care that become the armature of friendship."--Maria Popova, Brain Pickings
"It's a lovely story, and it's hard not to grow attached to the characters and their expressive little eyeballs. I doubt there's a child out there who will grasp the fact that this is about learning to love small interlopers. Instead, they'll just understand this to be a tale of suspicion, love, loss, and family. Worth a gander, and sweet in all the right ways. A keeper." --Publishers Weekly
"Illustrations and text are happily married, conveying the emotional tone of the story. Bold colors, in particular are masterfully used by illustrator, Olivier Tallec. Bleak blues dominate when Big Wolf feels sad. Buttery yellows suffuse pages with a happy glow when Little Wolf is near. Sweeping brush strokes add additional warmth and energy." --Puget Sound Council
"Brun-Cosme has created a picture book with a unique feel. Her wording is simple and almost bare. It is through that very minimalist writing that the emotions are really clear and powerful."-- Kids Lit blog
"Love, love, love this book! . . . Just a great story that your child will love to have you read to him and you'll enjoy it just as much. Great storytelling!" --JellyMom.com (three stars)
"I just can't say enough good things about this book. I fell in love immediately and found myself wanting more at the end. The illustrations, the story-lovely, wonderful, excellent! A stunning book with a simple message reminding us of the beauty of friendship."- Firrkids.com
"It's all the small details that make this book so wonderful. On the page where they meet, the wolves are trying so hard to look casual, but you can see the sideways glances they cast. Gorgeous illustrations convey real emotion, with just a tiny bit of humor. It is terribly difficult to explain what a perfect match the writing style and illustrations are. Really and truly, this is one of my very favorite books of the year." --For Immediate Release Reviews--Kids!
From a Review of the Big Wolf and Little Wolf Trilogy:
"They are sweet stories and with Tallec's sweeping illustrations carry an old world feel...Most importantly, the characters are so appealing that readers will be delighted to follow them of their adventures...They are books to hold on to and for certain thoughtful children will be trasures beyond childhood." -Colleen Mondor, Eclectica Magazine

About the Author

Nadine Brun-Cosme is the author of nearly 20 popular novels and picture books for children. She lives in France. Her two Big Wolf and Little Wolf books have sold 50,000 copies worldwide. Olivier Tallec was born in Brittany in 1970. After graduating from the Ecole Supérieure d'Art graphique in Paris he worked in advertising as a graphic designer, after which he devoted himself to illustration. Since then he has done numerous illustrations for newspapers and magazines and has illustrated over 50 books for children.