First Night of Howlergarten by Benson Shum

Abstract

Reviewed by: First Night of Howlergarten by Benson Shum KH Shum, Benson First Night of Howlergarten; written and illus. by Benson Shum. Penguin Workshop, 2023 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593521274 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593660256 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-6 yrs For Sophie, the child of werewolves, the first day of school is also the day she may finally change from human to beast. As the day begins, Sophie becomes increasingly worried that her transition will never happen as she watches her Howlergarten classmates excel at their innate lupine abilities while Sophie struggles to get the hang of it; more than anything, she wants “to be a part of a pack.” Sophie’s unease is briefly quelled by the kindness of her classmates, who are inclusive and sharing. Once the class counts down the rise of the full moon, the magical catalyst for werewolf transition, Sophie happily welcomes the surprise of new sharp fangs and a furry tail. Unfortunately, another girl in the class stays human, but with fresh wisdom, Sophie assures her sweetly, “human or werewolf, we are always a pack, [End Page 336] and nothing will ever change that!” Shum’s watercolor and digital illustrations are richly colored with playfully inked outlines, giving them a comic book quality reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels, and the werewolves are of the gentle sort, with soft edges, squat legs, and plump cheeks. Small details, such as Sophie’s pink-eared headband and her chunky unicorn backpack, make for a relatable homage to the little humans that might be reading along. While this is not an especially new perspective on the complex experience of feeling accepted, it makes for an empathetic telling of first-day jitters with a diverse cast of young werewolves and reinforces the axiom to accept and celebrate differences. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois