Book Review: Vote Wolf by Davide Cali

By georgelthomas on 19 Sep 2025 • ( 0 )

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review. Today, I am sharing my review of Davide Cali’s children’s picture book Vote Wolf.

Vote Wolf will be released on 28 Oct 2025 by Moon & Bird and is 36 pages long.

The Plot
The story unfolds on a farm where it’s election time, and the animals who live there must elect a new leader. So, do they vote for Peter Piglet, who wants “Mud pie for everyone”, Jane Chicklette, who declares “I’ll meet your egg-speciations”,the Mouse Brothers, who run on the promise of “No Fleas! More Cheese!” or George Wolf, who wants them to “Vote for your friendly farm wolf”?

Characters
George Wolf
George Wolf is a charismatic candidate for farm leadership who everyone says is handsome and gentle. When George wins the election, there’s a mystery afoot when some of the animals begin to disappear. When the animals ask George for help, he refuses. When they dupe his guards into letting them into his house, they’re disturbed to find George and his friends eating… chicken! The animals realise they’ve been tricked and force him to leave.

The Farm Animals
The rest of the cast is made up of sheep, pigs, donkeys, mice and chickens who all vote for George Wolf, believing him to be the best candidate to lead them. However, they find themselves to be mistaken when they realise they have been tricked.

Writing Style
Davide Cali has a talent for telling a good (if satirical) tale with a meaningful message.

The humour sprinkled throughout is especially noteworthy. It’s sharp, dry, and clever without being inaccessible to younger readers, and I genuinely found myself smiling as I read the book.

There’s also no condescension here. Children who read this book (or those who have it read to them) will fully understand the message, working it out for themselves without feeling “talked down to”. And what a great idea to use an election amongst farm animals to teach morality!

Illustrations
The illustrations by Magali Clavelet are wonderfully vibrant.

Her artwork complements the satirical tone of the book with vibrant characters and brilliant campaign posters that mimic real-world political campaigns. The visual humour adds another layer of storytelling, helping younger readers follow the plot and catch the subtle jokes.

From Wolf’s sharp suit and sly grin to the expressive faces of the other animals, every detail is wonderfully drawn, filling each page with personality and whimsy.

Final Thoughts
Vote Wolf is more than a children’s book; it’s a charming blend of fun and thoughtfulness. Its clever writing, lively illustrations, and colourful characters make it a terrific addition to any children’s bookcase.

If you’re on the hunt for a book that will make kids laugh but also leave them (and you) thinking, Vote Wolf is an excellent choice.

I am giving Vote Wolf a 9/10.

Thank you, as ever, for stopping by!

Until next time,

George