Arnold the Brave

PreS-Gr 2—Arnold the Sheep (proudly bearing a capital A on his woolen vest) is far more exceptional than the other sheep in the meadow. Rather than settling for a dull routine of grazing all day, he spends most of his time running, squatting, boxing, and doing push-and-pull-ups. The inevitable arrival of the wolf does not faze Arnold at all, though he requires "just a little" help from his best friend Milo the Mole to contend with him. When ultimately confronted by said Wolf, Arnold's brave stance and balled fists are enough to momentarily distract the bigger animal as he erupts into a fit of laughter. Arnold takes advantage of this unexpected interruption—with that added bit of help from Milo—by causing the wolf to trip on the wool from his sweater. Similar to trickster folktales that feature a physically weaker underdog getting the better of a dominant enemy, this picture book promotes the positive idea to young children that hard work, perseverance, and confidence can pay off. The fact that Milo never gets the full credit he deserves is never brought up. On the other hand, this does not detract from the hilariously cheerful illustrations of the mole holding Arnold up while he does push-ups.