CM Magazine: Wolfie and Fly: Band on the Run. (Wolfie & Fly; 2).

________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIV Number . . . . November 10, 2017

cover
Wolfie and Fly: Band on the Run. (Wolfie and Fly; 2).

Cary Fagan. Illustrated by Zoe Si.
Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, January, 2018.
88 pp., hardcover & e-book, $16.99 (hc.).
ISBN 978 1-101-91823-4 (hc.), ISBN 978 1-101-91824-1 (e-book).

Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10.

Review by Janet Beauchamp.

*** /4

Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy.

excerpt:

“The talent show as school starts in ten minutes!” Fly cried, picking up his guitar.

“Are you going to be in the talent show? How nice,” said her mom.

“Wolfie--- I mean Renata--- is going to be in it too,” said Fly. “But we have to hurry.”

“That’s wonderful!” said her mom.

“I don’t know why I agreed, Renata sulked. “I must have been feeling sorry for you.”

“Feeling sorry for me?” said Fly. “Why, that’s almost as good as liking me!”

“We better get going,” said her dad. “We don’t want to be late.”

Wolfie and Fly by Cary Fagan is a cute, little nine chapter story which would be a great easy read for young readers who want to start reading chapter books. It is the second installment in a series, the first being Wolfie & Fly, focussed on the adventures of Renata Wolfman, who is called Wolfie by her peers as she is a lone wolf, and her neighbour Livingston Flott, whom everybody calls Fly as he buzzes around and annoys everyone. This unlikely friendship blossoms despite the fact that Wolfie does not like other kids as they talk too much, they want to play boring games and their noses drip. Wolfie and Fly stumble into a friendship after Livingston incessantly rings Renata’s doorbell because his brother is after him. Renata’s mom has told Fly that he can come over anytime as they want to get her out of her shell.

Renata’s (Wolfie’s) parents are desperate to get her involved in some type of extracurricular activity. Their latest attempt involves her going to dance class so she can be in the dance performance at the talent show being held Saturday night. She has already tried and dropped out of singing, pottery, karate, drama and yoga for kids. As you can imagine, the dance class does not go very well. When asked to be an animal at dance class, Wolfie chose to be a wolf because they can sleep for ten hours. She lay on the floor and did nothing until dance class ended. Luckily, Fly shows up to “save the day”. Fly wants to enter the talent show, and, by using his incredible imagination, Wolfie and Fly spend the afternoon practicing to perform a song that their two person band has written just for the talent show. Using wooden spoons and pots and lids, the two are ready just in time to head to the school talent show. Renata’s parents are thrilled!

The unlikely friendship of Wolfie and Fly is believable despite Renata’s dislike for her age peers. Fly is just pushy enough to make it work, and the fact that they are neighbours will likely mean that there are many adventures to come. While the Lone Wolf would rather read, learn about helicopters and always make sure her foods stay separated, I’m sure these two “friends” will continue to have tons of fun in their upcoming adventures.

Recommended.

Janet Beauchamp, a high school teacher, teacher-librarian and mother of three girls, lives in L’Amable, ON.

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