A jar of jam, a tablecloth, several pieces of furniture. “You’d be surprised what you find inside of a wolf,” says a duck, longtime resident, to a mouse, recently gobbled up, that has joined him in the safe haven of the wolf ’s belly. When the new friends dance it creates a ruckus that sickens the wolf. The sly duck encourages the wolf to eat a few luxuries to ease his upset stomach (“a hunk of good cheese,” “a flagon of wine”). Later, when the wolf narrowly misses a hunter’s bullet, the duck and the mouse decide they must suit up to defend their home; they charge out of the wolf ’s mouth wearing household-item armor to scare away the hunter. In return for saving his life, the wolf grants the two a favor, and you can guess what they ask of him. This droll tale turns the familiar “must escape!” narrative of eaten animals on its head and offers a creative explanation for wolves’ howling at the moon. (Ages 4-8)

This is a story about a duck and mouse who get swallowed by a wolf, and then decide to live in his belly.

Early one morning a mouse met a wolf
and was quickly gobbled up.

When a woeful mouse is swallowed by a wolf, he quickly learns he is not alone: a duck has already set up digs, and, boy, has that duck got it figured out! Turns out it’s pretty nice in there, with delicious food and elegant table settings, courtesy of the wolf’s unchecked gluttony. And there’s something even better: no more fear of being eaten by a wolf! In fact, life is pretty good, until a hunter shows up. . . . With a nod to traditional fables and a wink to the reader, the award-winning Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen offer a tale of cooperation and creative cuisine that is sure to go down easy.