Wolf and Dog

From the outset they are a study in contrasts: little white Dog in neat red trousers, peaceably pedaling his minibike; his cousin, shaggy gray Wolf, pointy teeth at the ready, looming beside him on a bike with wheels of coiled wire. Barbed wire reappears among the defenses of Wolf's rustic stronghold, while Dog guards the orderly household of an unseen "boss" (of whom Wolf is in some awe). Wolf is wild and lawless, as pithy dialogue and pungent incidents also reveal--he gobbles up Dog's bacon straight from the pan ("You don't use a knife and fork," Dog complains). But even so, they're friends. They enjoy wordplay; Wolf loves rhymes. Still, after Dog has helped Wolf expel a fierce cat from his lair, Wolf can't be bothered with gratitude. Dog's nonviolent reprisal precisely counters Wolf's uncivilized behavior. Small trim size, an open format, deft characterizations in pen-and-ink and watercolor, appealing spot art on most spreads, and a brief text laced with dialogue all recommend this for listeners as well as readers. joanna rudge long