Gubbio is a small medieval village whose occupants live in terror of a monstrous grey wolf. When the story begins, however, a “wonder” has occurred that changes the town and the townspeople forever. The young narrator describes how Poverello, a celebrated monk who can speak to animals, comes to Gubbio and confronts the wolf. Poverello strikes a deal with the beast, promising that the villagers will feed the wolf if it leaves them in peace. To seal the pact, the two shake on it, and the town becomes a safe place to live.

Michael Bedard (Glass Town, Emily) effectively retells this legend of St. Francis of Assisi, popularly known as “Poverello,” for a contemporary and not necessarily Christian readership. Bedard’s repeated motif of the wolf shaking hands with the villagers emphasizes the community of humans and animals as creatures of God, and children aged six to nine will appreciate the contrast between this wolf tale and traditional “big bad wolf” stories. Bedard’s faithfulness to the original legend, however, creates dramatic unevenness in the story, which begins with great suspense and dramatic promise – a village in fear, an eyewitness account, a hero going alone to confront the enemy. After this, the wolf’s capitulation seems disappointingly easy.

Artist Murray Kimber depicts the wolf through the townspeople’s eyes, showing how their fear has made the wolf larger than life. Kimber’s attention to detail gives readers a sense of life in a medieval town. His art, as it did in Josepha: A Prairie Boy’s Story and Fern Hill, adds a sophisticated element to this tale, though its still-life quality will likely appeal more to older children less reliant on illustration to tell the story.