Inspiring Young Readers

posted on 03 Sep 2026

Little Wolf’s Big Huff by Harriet Howe, illustrated by Katie Cottle

There are so many great stories with a wolf as the main protagonist that it is a challenge to give him (usually a male character) an unusual role. Authors and illustrators have more recently tried to explore the gentler and more complicated facets of his difficult personality, often in a bid for young readers to develop empathy. They are invited to consider why he might be so aggressive, is this down to nature or nurture? Can the species ever be trusted by humans, or should we always be suspicious of his intentions? I looked forward to finding out how this storybook wolf might contribute to the debate.

The cover shows him dressed in casual clothes (always a reassuring sign of friendliness) surrounded by other creatures as he stands in a clearing breathing out heavily. The ‘big huff’ of the title is a nod to the famous traditional tale of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ where the wolf tries to destroy the houses built with straw, sticks and bricks built by the three porky brothers so that he can gobble them up. It is always helpful to have this cultural information to enrich the reading experience, but hopefully the story would stand alone if not because, in my experience, many children do not know the traditional tale before starting at school/ nursery.

It seems that he is lucky enough to have a strong bond with his Daddy as they are shown enjoying each other’s company as they share ‘the most wonderfully-waggy-tailed time’ under the big moonlit sky. But as his family becomes much ‘bigger, busier and bouncier’ he has to share this parental attention with younger siblings. As all thoughtful fathers do, he tries to keep aside a special day to spend with his eldest child but when he waits to set off for their adventure on Wolf Moon Day as usual, he learns that all of the other cubs will be coming too, because Mummy needs a rest:

‘It seemed Little Wolf and Daddy Day had become … Little Wolf and Daddy… and Everyone Else day’

That sentence sums up the disappointment of having to share a parent perfectly, he tries hard to be positive but everything has changed forever. All their usual rituals of camping in the same spot and then designing a den are threatened – Little Wolf is not happy at all. As he moodily gathers sticks to start building, everything seems to go wrong as he is prickled, bumped and covered in mud – nobody even notices! The whole experience makes him change from an upbeat character into a creature who is ‘BIG and BAD’. His feeling of growing anger and indignation is well captured by the sequence of illustrations that show his physical change. His brothers and sisters immediately notice that there is a problem, but the turn of the page when he is transformed into a fierce and destructive wolf really frightens everybody – especially when he blows the den down! 

Apart from being a great story about disappointment, jealousy and uncontrollable emotions, this is also a handbook for positive parenting. Daddy Wolf shows unconditional love for his stroppy son and explains how he needs to discover and recognise ‘The Way of the Wolf’ which will help him to manage his power, as well as becoming an even better big brother. I particularly liked the final illustration that shows an enviably well- constructed den which is the result of family teamwork. And once all the younger cubs have fallen asleep, Daddy and Little Wolf are rewarded with special time after all.  I can see how reading this story will lead to plenty of fruitful discussion about the pros and cons of having brothers and sisters, as well as hopefully some den building and outdoor fun.      

I strongly recommend this delightful picture book published by Templar Books. It should be available to buy from your local independent bookshop who will order you a copy if not already on their shelves. 

Karen Argent

September 2026