Diary of a Big Bad Wolf

Diary of a Big Bad Wolf by Ben Miller, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
 
Once upon a time was only the beginning. Deep in Fairytale Woods, the Big Bad Wolf has decided to tell his side of the story — and his secret diary reveals that being big and bad is much harder than it looks.
 
After a long, cold winter, Lawrence the wolf is lonely, hungry and determined to rebuild his fearsome reputation. His plans soon bring him face to face with a bridge troll, the Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma and a mysterious witch in a gingerbread house. Unfortunately for Lawrence, every brilliant scheme seems to end in another ridiculous disaster.
 
Ben Miller’s playful fairytale mash-up gives a familiar villain the chance to explain himself. Short diary entries, lively typography, generous white space and Elisa Paganelli’s expressive black-and-white illustrations keep the pages moving while allowing readers to consider how a story changes when it is told from another character’s viewpoint.
 
Funny, fast-moving and surprisingly sympathetic, Diary of a Big Bad Wolf is an inviting illustrated chapter book for children who enjoy fractured fairytales, mischievous narrators and familiar stories turned upside down. It is the first Fairytale Woods book and provides a complete, independently readable adventure.