New Releases by William McCleery

A young father tells his five-year-old son humorous variations on the theme of a hen escaping the clutches of a wily wolf.

This irresistible book is about: a father; his five-year-old son, Michael (intelligent, crafty, addicted to stories); Michael’s best friend Stefan (stalwart listener, equally addicted to stories); and, well—what else?—a story. Oh, and a wolf. It is as Michael always demands: a Wolf Story, which begins one night at bedtime and spins wildly on through subsequent bedtimes and Sunday outings to the beach and park in a succession of ever more trickily tantalizing episodes. Waldo the wolf is sneaking up on Rainbow the hen, when Jimmy Tractorwheel, the son of the local farmer, comes along. After that, there’s no knowing what will happen next, as while stalled in traffic jams or nodding off at night, the boys chime in and the story races on and Waldo finds, if not necessarily dinner, his just desserts. First published in 1947 and wonderfully illustrated by Warren Chappell, William McCleery’s Wolf Story is a delicious treat for fathers and sons and daughters and mothers alike.

This famous novel has been expertly wrought into a funny, touching play. Miss Dove is a school teacher who exercises great influence on the whole town. Graduates come back to her for advice. Everyone calls on her at the hospital during an illness. But the richest parents in town bring her before the School Board on charges of undue severity. ufeff