Wolf in the Snow

Wolf in the Snow is a 2017 wordless picture book by Matthew Cordell. The book was favorably received by critics and won the 2018 Caldecott Award. The story has drawn comparisons to fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood. The nearly wordless book tells the story of a girl and wolf who each get lost in the snowstorm. Cordell used distinctive illustration techniques for the girl and the wolf.

Wolf in the Snow
AuthorMatthew Cordell
PublisherFeiwel & Friends
Publication date
January 3, 2017
Pages48
AwardsCaldecott Medal
ISBN978-1250076366
OCLC1001724046

Plot

In this nearly wordless picture book a girl and a wolf each get lost in a snowstorm. The two meet as the storm ends and the girl picks up the wolf and follows the sounds of wolves she hears, encountering some dangers along the way. After returning the wolf to its mother the girl gets lost and falls. The wolves howl to let one of the girl's searching parents know where to find her. The words that are present reflect the sounds and actions of the story.

Themes and illustrations

Several critics noted the parallels between Wolf in the Snow and fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood.[1][2][3] This allusion was something Cordell thought about. The concept for the book started with his drawing a girl in a red coat in a white field looking at a wolf, "I liked the graphic color combination of the black, the red, and the white. I liked the suspense created by the child and the wolf and the unanswered question of what was happening or not happening or what was going to happen between the two."[4] Critics also noted the value of loyalty[5] and kindness being returned by the wolves.[6]

Cordell used blended watercolors in a "freeform" way for the illustrations.[7] There is a marked contrast in the drawings between the way the girl, who is drawn "almost cartoonish[ly]"[3] and the scary realism of the wolves.[3][8] The importance and role of the book's typography drew comparisons to comic books.[8]

Reception and awards

Wolf in the Snow received positive reviews and was noted on best of year lists. Writing for School Library Journal Peter Blenski called the book, "A heartwarming adventure about helping others, best shared one-on-one to pore over the engaging images" and awarded the book a star.[7] Maggie Reagan in a starred review for Booklist also noted a similar them saying the book "is a tender, never precious story of kindness and cooperation."[5] In another starred review Kirkus Reviews, described the book as a one that is "deeply satisfying" and "keep[s] readers hooked to the end."[6] It also received starred reviews from Horn Book Guide, Horn Book Magazine,[9] and Publishers Weekly.[10] It was also listed as a best book of 2017 by National Public Radio who noted that "Cordell offers young readers a dreamy fable with a lot to say about making connections outside your comfort zone"[3] Horn Book Magazine,[11] School Library Journal,[12] Kirkus,[13] the Boston Globe,[14] and Huffington Post where it was called "a new parable for our times.[1]

The American Library Association awarded the book its 2018 Caldecott Medal citing its "fairy tale elements and a strong sense of color and geometry offer an engrossing, emotionally charged story."[2] Award Committee Chair Tish Wilson said, “Committee members were astonished that a deceptively simple book could be such a dramatic story of survival.”[2] In his Caldecott acceptance speech, Cordell revealed that an early illustration that turned into the story came from his disappointment that an earlier book of his, Hello! Hello!, had not been recognized for the Caldecott. [15]

References
  1. Le, Minh (8 December 2017). "Best Picture Books of 2017". Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  2. "Erin Entrada Kelly, Matthew Cordell win Newbery, Caldecott Medals". ALANews. American Library Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  3. Bird, Elizabeth. "NPR's Book Concierge: Our Guide To 2017's Great Reads". National Public Radio. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  4. Cordell, Matthew. "Wolf in the Snow: Matthew Cordell's 2017 BGHB Picture Book Honor Speech". Horn Book. Horn Book. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  5. "Wolf in the Snow" (Vol 113 No 8). Booklist. 15 December 2016.
  6. "Wolf in the Snow Review". Kirkus. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  7. Blenski, Peter (3 January 2017). "Wolf in the Snow" (January 2017). School Library Journal. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  8. Parravano, Martha (26 September 2017). "Wolf in the Snow". Calling Caldecott. Horn Book. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  9. Gall, Elisa (2 January 2017). "Review of Wolf in the Snow". Horn Book. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  10. "Children's Book Review: Wolf in the Snow". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  11. "Horn Book Fanfare 2017". Hornbook. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  12. "SLJ's Best of 2017 Picture Books". School Library Journal. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  13. "Best Picture Books of 2017". Kirkus. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  14. Rizzuto, Lauren (7 December 2017). "Best children's and YA books of 2017". Boston Globe. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  15. Cordell, Matthew. "Caldecott Medal Acceptance." The Horn Book Magazine, July-Aug. 2018, p. 47+. General OneFile. Accessed 10 Aug. 2018.
Awards
Preceded by
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat		 Caldecott Medal
2018		 Succeeded by
Hello Lighthouse
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