Betsy Who Cried Wolf

Betsy #1

by Gail Carson Levine, Scott Nash (Illustrator)

On her eighth birthday Betsy takes the Shepherds' Oath and is determined to be the best shepherd in Bray Valley history. Any wolf who tries to eat her sheep had better watch out. But Zimmo is no ordinary wolf—he's a hungry wolf, with a plan! In her first picture book, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine puts her own spin on a traditional tale, while Scott Nash brings a comic sensibility to this hilarious retelling. The result will tickle, delight, and even leave readers with a moral or two, or three....

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Humor

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Just letting you all know: I'm only going to review books I love. There's enough negative criticism without me piling on. A book is too hard to write.

Gail Carson Levine grew up in New York City and began writing seriously in 1987. Her first book for children, Ella Enchanted, was a 1998 Newbery Honor Book. Levine's other books include Fairest; Dave at Night, an ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults; The Wish; The Two Princesses of Bamarre; and the six Princess Tales books. She is also the author of the nonfiction book Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly and the picture book Betsy Who Cried Wolf, illustrated by Scott Nash. Gail, her husband, David, and their Airedale, Baxter, live in a 1790 farmhouse in the Hudson River Valley of New York State.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gail Carson Levine is known for her novels with clever twists on classic fairytales. Here is an entry into the picture book world, this time taking up the classic cautionary tale of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" The twist? Betsy becomes a shepherd and is very diligent in her wolf-watching duties. But when she DOES cry wolf, the clever wolf runs and hides so the adults in the town don't see a wolf and think Betsy must be lying! This happens a second time and Betsy is sent back to shepherding school so she can mend her ways. Oh, the unfairness and frustration of it all! (Love the illustration where Betsy has to write "I will not cry wolf" on the blackboard and then starts getting creative with a rant at the clueless adults!) Betsy is given one last try and she does catch the wolf this time--but in a very unexpected way.

I think this is a fun story and I love the messages that adults can sometimes be oblivious to Very Important Things that are so obvious to kids--and that sometimes the "big bad wolf" isn't so bad (I so hate the big, bad wolf stereotype). The illustrations are humorous and cute. Overall, the style of the book just wasn't my exact cup of tea (not enough for five stars) but I still really enjoyed it and recommend it to those who like twists to classic fables or those seeking an antidote to the big-bad-wolf books.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love any book with the main character named Betsy!

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

We recently read Betsy Red Hoodie by this author/illustrator team and we really enjoyed reading it. So we were excited when I discovered that it was actually the sequel to this book. We just had to read this one, too.

The story offers an interesting twist on the classic tale of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and after reading the story and the humorous dialogue by the sheep, we had an interesting discussion about what we thought was the moral of the story.

Overall, it's a fun story to read aloud and the illustrations are terrific. Once again, the sheep stole the show and we loved the snarky, witty dialogue. We really enjoyed reading this book together.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Carson Levine has done it again! This is such a cute book and quite unexpectedly expected. We all know the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf, but this is a nice twist on the classic. In this story, Betsy is a shepherdess that lives in the Bray Valley after the unfortunate circumstance of the naughty shepherd who lied and got himself and the entire herd eaten. Betsy is determined not to let anything like that happen again. But things don't happen quite like she expected! It is such a cute story that teaches some valuable lessons. The pictures are fun and cute and really enhance the story. I definitely recommend Betsy Who Cried Wolf.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great twist on the story of the boy who cried wolf. Instead of Betsy making up the fact that there was a wolf, she saw the wolf but the farmers did not come in time to see the wolf so they did not believe her. This was a great reminder that just because you cannot see the situation yourself it does not mean it did not happen. I also enjoyed the extra dialogue that occurred in the book that was not directly involved with the story. This would be a great story to get children involved with and act the story out.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who's read The Boy Who Cried Wolf will appreciate the twist in this version, but this isn't a book I'd pick to read to young kids. There's too much here. A Shepherds' Oath. Wolf, mountain, valley, and river have names. Talking animals. Not my cup of tea.

[Mackenzie Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a young girl named Betsy becoming a shepherd. She is very protective of her sheep, so she is always on the lookout for wolves. She saw the wolf two times but no one believed that she saw the wolf, so she was sent back to shepherd school to learn whether to cry wolf or not. The third time she saw the wolf she didn't cry wolf for other shepherds to come help, instead she shared her pie with the hungry wolf. The wolf become a great parter to Betsy and helped her herd her sheep.
The theme in this book is to not judge a book by its cover. The wolf was just hungry and trying to get some kind of food, and the wolf and Betsy became friends after. I would give this book a 5 star rating. I relate to this book because I have had people not believe me or not have seen what I have seen and it is hard to convince people otherwise. I would recommend this book because it teaches a good lesson, keeps the reader engaged and allows students to think of how they can relate to this book.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

On her eighth birthday Betsy takes the Shepherds' Oath and is determined to be the best shepherd in Bray Valley history. Any wolf who tries to eat her sheep had better watch out. But Zimmo is no ordinary wolf—he's a hungry wolf, with a plan!

A little different venue for author Gail Carson Levine, but enjoyable as she puts her own spin on this traditional tale. A great book to use in teaching about morals as there are plenty at the end of the book.

[Mara Rhodes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a spin-off of the children's story, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. In this story, Betsy vowed to be the best at protecting her wolves, but the wolf outsmarted her, hiding when she called wolf until the farmers no longer came running to help her. She eventually shared her lunch with him so that he wouldn't eat the sheep, and he helped her with her job.

3 topic ideas:
Choice and Consequence
Compare and Contrast
1st impressions
Genre - Folktales

[Aubrey Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot, because it’s really funny, and I like the way that it’s told. And it’s for little kids and I really enjoy reading. it it’s especially for shepherds to read, because it’s like a memoir. memoir is like a memory. I think it’s a memory because this could happen in real life except it has talking sheeps.

I like this book because of the wolf qlove tricking her. It’s really funny how the wolf love tricks her because she always does it and she always get in trouble.

[Joanna Salvador · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sure this book is someone’s cup of tea, but certainly not mine for my kids. Nothing majorly wrong with it, it just felt like it was written by a 4th grader. Not written by an adult FOR an elementary school child, if that makes sense. The jokes were obvious and unentertaining and diluted the plot. There was no clear moral and the antagonist end up so out of character it feels unbelievable. Cute if you like twists on classic tales but otherwise unsubstantial.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a 3 and 5 year old, this story was just confusing. For me, it was enjoyable. You have to know the original tale to appreciate the modern twist. I ended up just telling my kids the original tale. I love her twist that reminds us not to judge others, but the concept was just too advanced for my little ones.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Betsy is determined to be a good Shepherdess. I love how this book shows that those we feel may be bad can turn out to be the very help we need. I hope Gail Carson Levine writes many more books.

[Shelby Goff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the twist in this book and I also think it could have been another book I would read to a class in the future! I like the books that are based off of other stories and build off each other!

[So_Unhip_Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute extension tale of the boy who cried wolf.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a fun twist on the story. I like that the wolf ends up good and helping betsy out.

[Mellanie C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an adorable variation on the boy who cried wolf!

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. But really only funny if you know the story of the Boy who cried wolf.

[Little Champs]

2220

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute revamp of the boy who cried wolf.

[Robert Moushon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Levine, G. C., & Nash, S. (2002). Betsy who cried wolf. New York : HarperCollins.

Characters: Betsy, a new shepherd. Zimmo, the wolf. The Townspeople. The comical sheep.

Setting: Bray Valley (post Boy Who Cried Wolf)

Themes: Trust, Misdirection, Misplaced Blame

Genre: CSULB ETEC 545 Class 3, ETEC 545 Folktale, ETEC 545 Motif, Lying Motif, Picture Book

Summary: A new shepherd, Betsy, is very diligent with her work. Zimmo, a wolf, threatens her herd, but when Betsy calls for help, the wolf hides. The farmers believe Betsy is lying. This process repeats itself again, the farmers won’t take her seriously and send her off to school. Given one last shot, Betsy calls for help to save the herd from Zimmo, but receives none. She throws food at him, and the wolf, who was just hungry, stops and eats with her. The two become friends and a new shepherding team.

Target Audience: Early Elementary, Grades K-3

Curriculum Ties: Predisposition, Friendship, Trust/Truth, Twists on Stories

Personal response: While a similar plot, this is obviously a very different story than the classic folktale of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. Instead of Betsy lying, it’s the wolf tricking her and hiding before Betsy can ren receive help. It would work well to introduce this to a young class after first reading the traditional story to talk about the differences.

[Cherina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Betsy just became a shepherd. She takes her new job very seriously. One day, a hungry wolf decides to trick Betsy. The wolf reveals himself to the shepherd. When Betsy calls to warn the villagers of the wolf, he disappears back into the woods. The villagers think Betsy lied and get mad at her. The next day, the wolf plays the same trick and gets the same result. On the third day, the wolf charges towards the herd of sheep. Betsy calls for the villagers, but no one comes. Right before the wolf can attack the sheep, Betsy accidentally knocks over her lunch pail. The wolf stops his pursuit of the sheep to share Betsy's lunch. The wolf and Betsy become friends and end up shepherding the herd together.

Uses: read aloud for primary grades (read with or after the original story), independent reading for early readers, recommend to students who liked the original or as an example of a story that breaks stereotypes

Literary Devices: onomatopoeia, personification, wit, simile

Social issues: lying, not making snap judgments about certain people, standing up for what is right

Other: This book has a lot of humor in it. The sheep comment throughout the text, creating incredibly funny insights. The illustrations are well done. This fictional picture book is a spin-off of the original, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

[Elizabeth Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Levine, Gail Carson. Betsy Who Cried Wolf. Illus. Scott Nash. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2002. Print. Fiction, shepherds, problem solving. Betsy Who Cried Wolf is the story about a little girl who becomes a shepherdess but the only problem is she has to fight off the hungry wolf Zimmo. Eventually after giving him her lunch they become friends and he stops trying to eat the sheep. I think the author did a great job at bringing a fresh perspective to the Asop fable of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Also the illustrator and author worked really well with one another to find creative ways for the audience to interact, not just listen as the book is being read. I think this would be a good book to read to students and involve them in problem solving. There are many pages where the reader can pause and ask “What can so-and-so do?” “What do you think is going to happen?” Also the students can pretend to be the many sheep in the story and say what they think are in the word bubbles.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This is a humorous book with a twist on the the classic "Boy who cried wolf." But in our case her name is Betsy, and she cries wolf when she actually sees a wolf.

However, when the townspeople come to help, the wolf has disappeared. Poor Betsy.. she is sent back to shepherdess school...( what she writes on the chalk board is funny --not part of the story but read it anyway)

Over all a fun story, with a good twist. so "Scan Right, No Wolves - Scan Left No Wolves, Scan straight ahead, NowWolves..Al Right Time for lunch"

The pictures are great, and Betsy Expressions are good. I think Besty is a pretty cool!

[Larissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Levine, Gail Carson., and Scott Nash. Betsy Who Cried Wolf. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print. Ages 6-8. Betsy who cried wolf is a book about the sheep herder who is trying to protect her sheep and the farmer's from the wolf who has been all over the forest, etc. This book isn't one of my favorites, just because of the fact that I have not been able to really relate to this book. I say that because not the fact that it is boring, but because of the fact that it didn't really intrigue me. I don't know that I can really relate to this book either, because it isn't the best book in which I have ever read.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a retelling of the classic folktale of the Boy who Cried Wolf, the wolf is hungry and lonely and schemes to find food by appearing and disappearing before Betsy and the sheep. Of course, Betsy cries "Wolf" until the farmers don't come anymore. Then she realizes the wolf is simply hungry, and she gives him her food. He in turn is nice to her and the sheep, even helping her herd them together. Later, he takes the shepherd's oath and becomes an official shepherd. Yes, it is a twist on a traditional story that some kids will find funny, but it did not resonate with me at all.

[Danielle Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a twist off of the regular folklore tale of the boy who cried wolf. Betsy wants to be the best shepherd in town, but when Zimmo the wolf wants to throw her off and capture one of her sheep, Betsy turns to a new way to safe her sheep. She whistles and yells wolf and the town comes to save her, but Zimmo hides and they say there is no wolf. So the next time Betsy blows her whistle, no one from town comes and Betsy uses her head to come up with a great way to save her sheep.

[Aleisha Douthitt]

Another new take on the girl who cried wolf. The media is ink and watercolor and each page is bright and vivid! Betsy has passed sheep herding school and want to be the best Shepard ever! A wolf is very hungry and is taunting Betsy, but every time she calls for back up the would is gone and she looks as if she made it up. Betsy decides to handle the wolf on her own and gives him her lunch so he stays away from the sheep. They develop a great friendship! This boo can teach children about unlikely friendships, honesty, and fables.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A retelling (?) of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Betsy Who Cried Wolf is a story without a moral (sort-of). Betsy really does see a wolf, each and every time, but the wolf is too sly to get caught and manages to hide before the townspeople see him. Betsy gets fed up and figures it is better to make a friend of the wolf than trying to convince them of her sighting.

OH! and it is also helpful to have some delicious pies to share.

[S.N. Arly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a fun twist on the classic Boy Who Cried Wolf by an author who is no stranger to fractured fairy tales. Most of her work is for a slightly older audience, but this picture book does well with the under-5 set. The pictures are bright and colorful (eye catching) and the story has suspense, danger and a happy ending.