From Publishers Weekly
Bridget, who doesn't like rough play and won't go near dogs or worms, finds herself separated from her day care group on an autumn walk. In a fairy tale-like turn of events, she becomes surrounded by a pack of yellow-eyed wolves yet doesn't falter for an instant. Addressing them with big-sisterly impatience, she invents games for the wolves to play such as hospital ("In the hospital you have to lie in straight rows, otherwise it looks sloppy") sends them to the bathroom ("The wolves obediently go to their pee trees. And soon it sounds as if it's raining in the forest") and sings to lull them to sleep. In the morning, she finds her day care without trouble; the wolves clamor after her, asking her to come back to play. Lindenbaum (Boodil My Dog) draws a bossy-looking Bridget and a bunch of cowering, abashed-looking wolves in various attitudes of belly-up servility. A scary moment when Bridget first becomes lost and a couple of longwinded passages do not detract from the entertainment. If youngsters can suspend their disbelief at the heroine's abrupt switch in behavior, they may well enjoy this unexpected turn on the theme of summoning one's courage. Ages 4-7. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
K-Gr 2-To Bridget, a small, freckled girl who is afraid of almost everything, taking a risk is unthinkable. While the other children from her day care jump off the playhouse roof, pet a strange dog, and leap over a stream, this worrywart contemplates all of the bad things that could possibly happen in these situations. One day, on an outing, Bridget gets lost in the forest. She meets up with six gray wolves, but instead of being frightened by their snarling and teeth gnashing, she becomes the leader of the pack. She bosses the goofy carnivores around, diverting their attention while she waits to be found. She coaches them at playing "hospital" and climbing trees, though she discovers that they aren't very good at games. After spending the night, the formerly tentative tot finds her way back to her day-care center. The last illustration shows brave Bridget standing on top of the playhouse roof. The watercolor illustrations aptly depict the fanciful action and add greatly to the humorous scenes. An offbeat tale of a scaredy-cat who has the heart of a lion.Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WICopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 3-7. Lindenbaum, author of Boodil, My Dog (1992), offers another quirky, ironic charmer in this Swedish import that borrows elements from "Little Red Riding Hood." On a day-care field trip, anxious little Bridget, dressed in red-hooded sweatshirt, wanders off and finds herself in a dark forest, filled with "dangerous" trees and, suddenly, a pack of wolves. When the wolves reveal themselves to be peevish and whiney rather than threatening, Bridget is matter-of-fact and playful as she engages her new friends in games, snuggles down to sleep, and finds her way home with the wolves' help. The story meanders a bit, but both text and pictures show the fun of reversing stock fairy-tale trappings: the spooky forest as playground, the menacing wolves as childish pals, and the hero's transformation from timid wanderer to bossy playmate. Best are the wolves' slapstick antics, wonderfully depicted in irresistible watercolor-and-ink spreads. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"A shaggy-wolf tale about a milquetoast turned commander-in-chief of a pack of wild carnivores has just the right measure of topsy-turvy, oddball humor...Who'd have thought it: wolves, a girl's best friends...Yea, Bridget."--Kirkus Reviews


Review
"A shaggy-wolf tale about a milquetoast turned commander-in-chief of a pack of wild carnivores has just the right measure of topsy-turvy, oddball humor...Who'd have thought it: wolves, a girl's best friends...Yea, Bridget."--Kirkus Reviews


Book Description
A timid girl tames a wolf pack.

Bridget is a very careful child. She never climbs on roofs or pets dogs or jumps over ditches. In fact, she's afraid of most things. But when Bridget gets lost and meets up with a pack of gray wolves in the deep, dark woods, she takes charge. First she makes them play even though they prefer to "lurk behind trees and snarl." They aren't much good at games, though. When their stomachs begin to growl, she feeds them her mud soup, and finally she puts them to bed after having sent them off to their peeing trees.

Humorous, bold art-- little, freckled Bridget in her red, hooded sweatshirt, huge shaggy, gray wolves, and tall purple pines-- perfectly compliments this very funny tale.


Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Swedish

Card catalog description
Tells the story of Bridget who is a very careful child. When she meets a pack of gray wolves in the woods, she takes charge of them.

About the Author
Pija Lindenbaum's most recent book, Boodil My Dog, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book and a Time magazine Best Book of the Year. The New York Times, said: "Boodil hits one gorgeous, slightly ironic note and holds it, like a tuning fork." Ms. Lindenbaum lives in Sweden.

ANNOTATION

Tells the story of Bridget who is a very careful child. When she meets a pack of gray wolves in the woods, she takes charge of them.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A timid girl tames a wolf pack.

Bridget is a very careful child. She never climbs on roofs or pets dogs or jumps over ditches. In fact, she's afraid of most things. But when Bridget gets lost and meets up with a pack of gray wolves in the deep, dark woods, she takes charge. She makes them play, even though they prefer to "lurk behind trees and snarl." They aren't much good at games. And when their stomachs begin to growl, she feeds them mud soup and puts them to bed.

Quirky, bold art perfectly complements this tale.

Pija Lindenbaum's most recent book, Boodil My Dog, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book and a Time Magazine Best Book of the Year. The New York Times, said: "Boodil hits one gorgeous, slightly ironic note and holds it, like a tuning fork." Ms. Lindenbaum lives in Sweden.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Bridget, who doesn't like rough play and won't go near dogs or worms, finds herself separated from her day care group on an autumn walk. In a fairy tale-like turn of events, she becomes surrounded by a pack of yellow-eyed wolves yet doesn't falter for an instant. Addressing them with big-sisterly impatience, she invents games for the wolves to play such as hospital ("In the hospital you have to lie in straight rows, otherwise it looks sloppy") sends them to the bathroom ("The wolves obediently go to their pee trees. And soon it sounds as if it's raining in the forest") and sings to lull them to sleep. In the morning, she finds her day care without trouble; the wolves clamor after her, asking her to come back to play. Lindenbaum (Boodil My Dog) draws a bossy-looking Bridget and a bunch of cowering, abashed-looking wolves in various attitudes of belly-up servility. A scary moment when Bridget first becomes lost and a couple of longwinded passages do not detract from the entertainment. If youngsters can suspend their disbelief at the heroine's abrupt switch in behavior, they may well enjoy this unexpected turn on the theme of summoning one's courage. Ages 4-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Boy, it is difficult to pull off a really good picture book. Sometimes there is an elusive element that just won't come together despite cute illustrations and a good concept, and such is the case with this Swedish import. Bridget is afraid and worried about everything. She won't jump off the playhouse roof, cross the river or join in the fun at daycare. Then she gets left behind in the woods one day and meets up with a pack of gray wolves. Unbelievably, she is not afraid, not even for a second. She takes charge of everything, ordering the mangy snarling animals around, leading them in games and making them eat mud soup. Sounds empowering, right? Somehow the story lacks integrity. It could possibly be a poor translation into English;the text is pretty stiff and unnatural. The illustrations are engaging, although this reader wishes the wolves were just a little bit cuter. When they go to their "pee-trees" in a graphic before-bed scene, it's a little unsettling. Little children would probably forgive the stilted English and mediocre pacing of the plot and enjoy the author's sense of humor anyway, which does comes through. 2001, R&S Books, $15.00. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer:Nancy Partridge

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-To Bridget, a small, freckled girl who is afraid of almost everything, taking a risk is unthinkable. While the other children from her day care jump off the playhouse roof, pet a strange dog, and leap over a stream, this worrywart contemplates all of the bad things that could possibly happen in these situations. One day, on an outing, Bridget gets lost in the forest. She meets up with six gray wolves, but instead of being frightened by their snarling and teeth gnashing, she becomes the leader of the pack. She bosses the goofy carnivores around, diverting their attention while she waits to be found. She coaches them at playing "hospital" and climbing trees, though she discovers that they aren't very good at games. After spending the night, the formerly tentative tot finds her way back to her day-care center. The last illustration shows brave Bridget standing on top of the playhouse roof. The watercolor illustrations aptly depict the fanciful action and add greatly to the humorous scenes. An offbeat tale of a scaredy-cat who has the heart of a lion.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews