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Book Buzz: Victor, the Wolf with Worries by Catherine Rayner

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Catherine Rayner, author image credit the author

I love making up stories, reading to children, designing characters, helping children learn to read, helping children develop a love of books that will help them throughout their lives. I love that I get to visit children in schools and at events. I love the letters and pictures I get from children from all over the world. I love the people that I work with on the books. I love the challenges that come with creating something new. . . I tend to develop a character and a story at the same time. But this does change a little with each book I make as every single one has a pattern of its own. People often ask me what the magic formula for creating a good picture book is. I wish I knew! It’s a new challenge every time as books are a bit like living things; each is individual with its own problems to overcome. Each one takes a different amount of time to create, too. Some are quicker than others, some have been bubbling away in the back of my mind for years, and others appear in a “light bulb moment.” I never find making a book easy—but it’s always worth it in the end.

― Catherine Rayner, Interview, Peachtree Books

Victor, the Wolf with Worries by Catherine Rayner

What booksellers are saying about Victor, the Wolf with Worries

  • Victor, The Wolf With Worries, immediately stole my anxious heart. A beautifully illustrated book with an important message. Having the courage to share our worries can make us feel braver, and bigger, and fiercer. With a few great tools to help keep worries away, and the bigger message of realizing that everyone worries, this book is sure to help some littles, and their parents, feel much more wolfish.
      ― Mary Salazar, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina | BUY

  • Sweet Victor! This little wolf worries that he’s not big enough, fierce enough, wolf-ish enough. Thankfully, he has a friend who helps take his mind off his worries. A great lesson for worries and thinkers of anxious thoughts (of all ages!).
      ― Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina | BUY

  • Victor, The Wolf With Worries is a picture book about a young wolf with plenty to worry about. Is he big enough? Is he “wolfish” enough? Is he brave enough? Through talking to his friend Pablo, play, and imagination Victor is able to lessen his worries. This book normalizes anxiety and teaches small and simple coping strategies, as well as building empathy for those living with anxiety. The muted watercolor illustrations fit the story well. Overall a lovely book with a lovely message.
      ― Stacey Riggins, Book No Further in Roanoke, Virginia | BUY

About Catherine Rayner

Catherine Rayner was born in Harrogate in 1982, and grew up in Boston Spa, later studying at Leeds College of Art and Edinburgh College of Art. She won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009 for Harris Finds His Feet, and she was shortlisted in 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2015. In 2014, Norris: The Bear Who Shared was named by the Sunday Times as one of the 100 Children’s Modern Classics of the past ten years. Previous titles by Rayner published by Boxer Books include the award-winning Five Bears. Rayner is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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When Alexander Graced the Table by Alexander Smalls

When Alexander Graced the Table captures the love and joy behind Sunday dinner, co-authored by renowned chef Alexander Smalls. A celebration of ingredients, the time and energy to create such a beloved meal, and the memories of family supper set against Frank Morrison’s stunning illustration creates a beautiful, must-share picture book!

When Alexander Graced the Table by Alexander Smalls, (List Price: $19.99, Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781534488724, January 2025)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Go Tell It by Quartez Harris

Stunning, poetic, honest, and celebratory – what an incredible picture book for school-age kids and their families and classrooms. Gordon James captures Baldwin’s dynamic passion for books and words in beautiful, high-energy paintings. Quartez Harris writes about Baldwin’s life with care, lyricism, and honesty.

Go Tell It by Quartez Harris, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316483933, January 2025)

Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Victor, the Wolf with Worries by Catherine Rayner

Victor, The Wolf With Worries, immediately stole my anxious heart. A beautifully illustrated book with an important message. Having the courage to share our worries can make us feel braver, and bigger, and fiercer. With a few great tools to help keep worries away, and the bigger message of realizing that everyone worries, this book is sure to help some littles, and their parents, feel much more wolfish.

Victor, the Wolf with Worries by Catherine Rayner, (List Price: $18.99, Boxer Books, 9781915801838, January 2025)

Reviewed by Mary Salazar, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

Turning thirteen is a milestone filled with exciting possibilities: movies, treats, all-night giggles, and the promise of teenage adventures. For Sage, however, this time is overshadowed by the profound loss of her best friend. The friend who knew all her secrets, shared dreams for the future, and was an irreplaceable part of her life is now gone, leaving Sage to navigate a complex web of emotions. Grief is a deeply personal journey, and for a young teen like Sage, it can be especially confusing and overwhelming. How do you acknowledge Your Feelings? Everyone processes loss differently. She seeks counseling groups, a safe space to share feelings and hear from others who have experienced similar losses. Creating a Memory Box of her and her best friend. Grieving the loss of a best friend is an incredibly challenging experience, especially for someone as young as Sage. However, by acknowledging her feelings, seeking support, practicing self-care, and finding ways to memorialize her friend, Sage can navigate her grief while continuing to grow and learn. Remember, grief is not about forgetting the loved one but learning to live with the loss in a way that honors their memory while moving forward with life.

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson, (List Price: $17.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547605897, February 2025)

Reviewed by VaLinda Payne-Miller, Turning Page Bookshop in Goose Greek, South Carolina

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Toto by Hyewon Yum

I adore Toto: the book as well as the birthmark that bears the name! It’s lovely to encounter a story that focuses on learning to embrace what makes you different without hitting you over the head in case you’d otherwise miss the moral of the story. Yum’s evocative, warm illustrations and gentle prose deserve a place on your shelf.

Toto by Hyewon Yum, (List Price: $18.99, Neal Porter Books, 9780823453894, January 2025)

Reviewed by Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell

I love a story about a young girl’s perseverance. Young Janie is singularly minded and deeply passionate about owls; all she wants is to see one and witness “magic” that is real, here, and accessible. I loved seeing how supportive her mother was trying to bring this reality; I loved her teacher, who saw all her work and effort and encouraged her not to stop.

To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593649893, January 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell

I love a story about a young girl’s perseverance. Young Janie is singularly minded and deeply passionate about owls, all she wants is to see one, to witness “magic” that is real and here and accessible.

To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593649893, January 2025)

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell

To hear an owl takes patience, to see one- well, that’s magical. Caldecott winning author/illustrator Cordell brings the magic of the woods to life in this stunning picture book just perfect for those nature lovers in your life.

To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell, (List Price: $18.99, Random House Studio, 9780593649893, January 2025)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson

The story of a young girl haunted by the grief of losing her best friend. The book permeates with sadness while Sage navigates daily life without her friend and the guilt she feels for her part in her friend’s death. A beautifully written novel in verse showing us it is ok to be sad, and sometimes it’s a long journey to hope and healing.

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson, (List Price: $17.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547605897, February 2025)

Reviewed by Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana

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On Our Way! What a Day! by JaNay Brown-Wood

A birthday! A gift? Hmmm… A delightful journey ends with a celebration of found things, group effort, and a very happy Gran. A perfect read-together for those families who delight in the joys of nature, music, and time together.

On Our Way! What a Day! by JaNay Brown-Wood, (List Price: $18.99, Nancy Paulsen Books, 9780593110751, January 2025)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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Tiana’s Perfect Plan by Anika Noni Rose

So fantastic to be back with Prince Naveen and Tiana after so long! I was expecting to have a book about the restaurant or Tiana and Naveen on their own, but I was so pleasantly surprised with the idea of Tiana having to impress her in-laws. It’s the perfect storytime book for any parents looking for one that can entertain them as well as their children.

Tiana’s Perfect Plan by Anika Noni Rose, (List Price: $18.99, Disney Hyperion, 9781368081603, October 2024)

Reviewed by Anna Trevathan, The Bottom in Knoxville, Tennessee

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The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo

Deep in the land of Norendy is the Hotel Balzaar where Marta and her mother live, waiting for Marta’s father to return from the war. Marta’s life is quiet and dull until the day that a mysterious Countess and her parrot arrive. The Countess says she has come to tell Marta seven tales. The tales teach Marta about hope and light, and take her on a fabulous journey of the imagination. A delightful read for anyone who enjoys being swept away by a dreamlike story!

The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo, (List Price: $17.99, Candlewick, 9781536223316, October 2024)

Reviewed by Monie Henderson, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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We Celebrate the Light by Jane Yolen

An astonishingly gorgeous rendering of the significance of light in the cultural lives of communities around the world. It is a celebration of the natural rhythms that unite us all and the cultural practices that make us unique.

We Celebrate the Light by Jane Yolen, (List Price: $18.99, Rise x Penguin Workshop, 9780593752296, October 2024)

Reviewed by Damarius Johnson, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Santa’s First Christmas by Mac Barnett

I never thought about how Santa celebrated Christmas Day. Well for years he couldn’t, he had to start to make the toys for the next year. One year, the elves decide to change all that and create a special day just for Santa. This is my new favorite book. So funny and creative

Santa’s First Christmas by Mac Barnett, (List Price: $18.99, Viking Books for Young Readers, 9780593524978, October 2024)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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