Wow Wow is a handsome young fox who is also clever and able to do many fine and useful things. Sadly, however, he does not know how to get rid of the fleas that have been drawn to his lovely fur. He tries rubbing against bushes, rolling in leaves and dipping his head and tail in the water—all to no avail, while Haw Haw the crow looks on in apparent amusement. But perhaps Haw Haw isn’t mocking the unhappy fox after all. Wow Wow pays close attention to the wise old crow, and soon he has a plan…

Murray’s adaptation of this Celtic legend has a rhythmic cadence that makes it feel like a time-honoured tale being lovingly retold. Like the best traditional folktales, it has an understated quality.

Pittman’s beautiful mixed-media illustrations have a charm and a whimsy that enhance the story. The bold, solid and dark-hued figures of fox and crow are set against exquisitely textured backdrops with jagged, unfinished edges that form the borders of each page. It is a gorgeous package, a story finely told and beautifully illustrated.

Wow Wow and Haw Haw
written by George Murray, illustrated by Michael Pittman
$19.95, hardcover, 32 pp.
Breakwater Books, May 2014