Big Bad Wolf Investigates: Fairy Tales
by Catherine Cawthorne, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
Interest age: 6 to 8
Reading age: 6+
Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2024
About this book
You think you know fairy tales. But have you ever questioned what would happen to a gingerbread house in the rain? Or whether a princess could really feel a pea through all those mattresses?
Fear not – the big bad wolf is here to guide you through the facts about fairy tales, including information on whether a wolf can huff and puff (spoiler – they can't!) and whether big ears really are all the better to hear you with.
This fun picture book is unusual and quirky – and all the more enjoyable for it. Children will find the familiarity of the fairy tales appealing, and the 'science' perfectly pitched. It is a light-hearted look at the exaggerations – and the magical elements – that are often in fairy stories, which make them so fun to read. Plus there are some suggested games to play – such as huffing and puffing a Malteser across the floor, and sitting on a dried pea to see if you can feel it.
Sara Ogilvie's energetic illustrations have lots of detail to spot, too, and give the book a very accessible feel. Young primary school children will enjoy considering fairy tales with a light STEM touch.
About the illustrator
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