Ha ha, but also ouch. This features the concept of turkeys voting for Christmas (or I guess, Thanksgiving) writ large, as all the farm animals decide Mr Wolf is the best leader they could have. Mr Wolf certainly thinks so, and he does everything right in front of the cameras before polling day. It's probably a landslide – and then the problems start.

Now, I'm not here to summarise the last page of a book's plot, but I certainly could here – as the point of this keeps building up until then. It's a frustrating book to talk about – I could state what happens ultimately, and adults could perhaps guess anyway, but it's anathema for me to be that revealing.

What I think I can say is that this is very witty, very clever, and very telling. It's also, if you care to admit, a book that presents the problem without ever offering the solution – like those beautifully-presented, expensive-to-produce depictions of climate change that actually hurt the planet to get published, rather than allow us alleviate things.

Normally, I dislike such books, and there is a part of me that wants to dislike this for the lack of overt lesson. And there is an aspect of this that makes it not a book for children – it will be paid for by adults, it will be read out loud by adults, it will be loved by adults smugly thinking they've had their say through these pages. It certainly has appeal to adults – but dammit, it also has brightness, cleverness and visual qualities that will make it appeal to juniors too.

And that's what makes me ultimately positive about this – it probably needs an adult to be there with the reading of it, to boost the story to its ultimate conclusion and lesson, and again to feel smug about giving this Animal-Farm-for-toddlers an airing. And I dare say I actually agree wholeheartedly with the lesson said adult would append to these pages. After all, as opposed to not buying this, buying this is certainly the lesser of two evils.

An entertaining introduction to elections for the smallest children. The puns are hilarious and the subject matter is treated at an age appropriate level.

The community must vote who they believe has the best interest for them all. But when Wolf wins, strange things begin. It’s was okay, it really didn’t have enough story building for me. I could see this book teaching children to not vote based off of others and to truly look into what they bring to the table. But overall.. meh. Also reading the Ebook at the words a little to close, at times I didn’t know what to read next.

Thank you NetGalley & Davide for the opportunity to read this Arc.

The illustrations are fantastic, full of expression and fun little details that add extra humour to the story. It’s a clever and accessible way to introduce the election process, showing how campaigns work and how voters can be influenced. While it feels more like a picture book for older children and adults, younger readers with a sharp sense of humour will still enjoy it. The twists keep it engaging, and I know when I was the intended age group I would have enjoyed the surprises and consequences.

A hilarious new picture book with amazing illustrations by Davide Cali. The story is very funny and lightly introduces the concept of politics, which you can rake as lightly or as seriously as you want to. What I like about this story is that it's a funny read aloud and parents and teachers can laugh along too.

A kid friendly, satirical approach to how voting works without being overwhelming or confusing. I enjoyed the premise but decided on three stars because I think it moved a little quickly and skipped some clearer transitional phrases, for example, "They all looked professional and serious. Strange things begin to happen". I had to do a double take a few times to keep up with the pacing.
I did enjoy the illustrations; the animals' facial expressions were well done.
Thank you, Moon+Bird for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.

This picturebook is about the voting process. When the farm animals need to choose a new leader, George Wolf seems the best, he is handsom afterall. But after the election some strange things start to happen, sheep and chickens go missing. The animals are angry and ask George Wolf for help, but he is busy having a banquet… that serves chicken… The book ends with a new election and a fox running for the vote. I think this would be a great book to introduce the democratic process, including looking at what politicians do to earn votes, versus what they should be doing. It also shows that people have the opportunity to vote again and make a better choice at the next election. I love the animal elements, and a few cute little puns or jokes such as the chickens counting the vote (don’t count your chickens before their hatched) and the wolves having to huff and puff when his house is on fire. It is a fun and somewhat silly book that also has some really important ideas and concepts that would be great for classroom discussion. I look forward to grabbing a copy of this book for my classroom library! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

Review Title:
A Thought-Provoking and Darkly Entertaining Satire

Review:
“Vote Wolf” is a clever, sharp, and sometimes unsettling political satire that blends dark humor with eerily relatable themes. The story feels like a modern fable—absurd on the surface, but deeply reflective underneath. The author has created a world that mirrors our own in disturbing and hilarious ways.

The characters are vivid and unique, especially the titular "Wolf," whose rise in politics is both funny and frightening. The writing is crisp, witty, and full of biting commentary about media, public perception, and leadership.

At times, the pacing dips slightly, and some moments feel overly exaggerated—but perhaps that's the point. It leaves you thinking long after you've finished, which is always the sign of a meaningful read.

Recommended for:
Readers who enjoy political satire, dark humor, and social commentary with a surreal twist.

Think Animal Farm in visual with an aim at elections and voting campaigns suitable for any venue, country, or age bracket. Wolf talks the talk and is very convincing, but...
Simple lessons in voting, misinformation, critical thinking, and questioning are clear and useful.
The illustrations by Magali Clavelet are delightful, brilliantly colorful, and fun but get the points across.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library! Pub Date Oct 28, 2025
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected galley proof from Moon + Bird | Moon & Bird via NetGalley. ***** #review #goodreads #storygraph #NetGalley @librarythingofficial @waterstones #NetGalley #VoteWolf by by Davide Cali @davidecali_mrblond and illustrated by @magaliclavelet @bookbub #KidsBookstagram #kidlit #picturebooks #childrensbookillustration #forgetting @childrensbookcouncil #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk @indigo #elections #votingcampaigns

A timely and age-appropriate parable about voting against your own interests. A wolf runs for leader of the farm, gets elected, and then animals go missing. I wonder who might be to blame?

Note: I received a free copy from NetGalley to review.

If you ever want to know how to deliver an impactful message or razor-sharp commentary in 30 short pages, this is it. This is the book.

It's whip-smart, introspective and surprisingly on point, especially considering I was expecting a light and fun children's book. Which it is, while also nailing the current state of our world. Brilliant and highly recommended!

While I can appreciate the message, I think this will go over the intended audience's head and be somewhat hard to follow.

I have a feeling if a certain orange politician were to hear about this book, it would hit multiple banned book lists. This is about a farm community election on who is going to be there to do what needs to be done. Instead of choosing people that makes sense or have proven they could do the job, the community chose’s the charismatic wolf. The one who might have bad ideas or might have bad history, but is so popular and loved for no reason that they don’t realize they’re being fooled. When bad things start to happen, the community gathers to plan and put that plan into action. But living through a bad experience once, wouldn’t you know it, they line back up to do it a second time. This book is tongue-in-cheek. It’s fun (for me, a diehard liberal) and the illustrations are part of what makes the fun. This is one of those books that will be bought and shared by people who fully understand and agree with it but will iron and wrinkle the conservatives who think they’re being made fun of. And while there is no liberal versus conservative in this and you could even switch our modern politics upside down the message is still the same: flash and awe do not get the job done. I love this book and everything in it and think it should be on every library shelf.

This book does a good job of teaching about the political system and learning about people’s character. When it gets to the end children will find it funny.

I just know my students will love this book! Around election time, we start reading different election themed stories, and I cannot wait to add this one into my rotation of stories. My students love animal stories, especially ones like this one that just pull the reader in and just have them wanting to keep reading. I cannot wait to read this to my students, because I know they will want to hear it over and over.

Vote Wolf is a sharp, funny little book that works best as a conversation starter about politics and critical thinking—especially for older kids. While the publisher recommends it for ages 4–8, I’d say it’s more suited to the upper end of that range (6–8+), as younger readers might miss the satire or the darker undertones.

There are clever nods to Animal Farm that older readers and adults will catch, and it is darkly humorous, rather too much so for a kids book.

The story ends with a cycle repeating itself, suggesting that no matter who we vote for, things may not change. That may resonate with adults, but it’s a pretty heavy takeaway for kids. It doesn’t offer much hope, which feels like a missed opportunity in a book aimed at children.

Magali Clavelet’s illustrations are charming—very Richard Scarry-esque—and add warmth and whimsy to an otherwise sobering message. While I wouldn’t call this a feel-good read, it’s a smart book that could spark some important (and tricky) conversations—just be ready to talk about it after!

Thank you to NetGalley, Moon + Bird, and Davide Cali for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Vote Wolf will be published October 28, 2025.

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.

A great conversation starter for older kids about politics and critical thinking with humour. This is a good book.

This book speaks undoubtfully the truth about how the world goes. Great job with the dual address here: children will love the happy ending, and might also find the last page funny and unlikely, while the adults will know better...

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great book to start to explain politics to children. It shows the importance of thinking critically about the people you vote for and also the power that people can hold when they come together which is awesome for kids to learn about their power.