Cuthbert Q. Devine tries to hide the fact that he is a wolf with a shady past
by becoming the companion of a kind old man and his pets. A story of being
good, being bad, and being forgiven.

Summary: This is the story of a very old man who lives alone with his three extremely old pets. One day the man and his pets decide to hire someone to help them around the house. The old man puts an advertisement in the paper, and the next day Cuthbert Q Divine showed up. Cuthbert told the man he is often confused for a wolf, but he’s really a German shepherd and the very old man believed him. Within twenty-four hours the old man and his pets did not know how they lived before Cuthbert came along. Until one day the very old man read in the newspaper that Cuthbert Q Divine was wanted for being a rip off wolf. The old man confronted Cuthbert about being a wolf, and Cuthbert got all worked up and became ill. The old man and his three extremely old pets nursed Cuthbert back to health and once he was feeling better Cuthbert Q Divine turned himself in to the police. Lightening the old man’s extremely old fish was Cuthbert’s attorney and defended him in court. The judge decided to give Cuthbert a second chance because he had obviously turned his life around and was no longer a rip off wolf, but a friend and caregiver to the old men and his pets. After the court ruling Cuthbert, the old man, and his three extremely old pets moved to Arizona to live happily ever after.

Personal Reaction:
I really enjoyed reading this story. I felt like it was a cute story with a valuable message, don’t judge a book by its cover. Just because Cuthbert is a wolf doesn’t mean he is a bad person and he should never be ashamed of who/what he is. The story also teaches children about second chances which to me is important. Cuthbert did bad things in his past, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve the opportunity to do better in the future. I could defiantly see myself reading this to my daughter and eventually a class.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. Discuss what it means to take responsibility for your actions
2. Each child makes a book cover that represents the things they like to reinforce the idea that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.