Parents will adore Laura McGee Kvasnosky’s Little Wolf’s First Howling—especially if their kids are in that “I-wanna-do-it-MYSELF” phase. Picture this: a fluffy gray pup (imagine Max from Where the Wild Things Are but with bigger ears) determined to howl flawlessly on his first try. But his “AH-WHOOOOO!” comes out as a sneeze, a kazoo noise, or something suspiciously like a burp.

Kvasnosky, who also created the Zelda and Ivy series, nails the frustration of learning something new. The retro art style—cut-paper textures and muted oranges/blues—gives it timeless appeal. My niece insisted we read this nightly for a month; now she “practices howling” by yelling into empty Pringles cans. Fair warning.

Fun detail: The older wolves’ speeches are written in cursive, which some 5-year-olds pretend to “decode” like secret messages. Teachers love using it for growth mindset lessons (Pinterest has craft ideas galore). Pair it with The Dot by Peter Reynolds or Giraffes Can’t Dance for a rally-against-perfectionism combo.

A few parents mention their kids mimicking Little Wolf’s “failed” howls more than the successful one—proof that embracing imperfection is contagious. And yes, the ending’s triumph earns all the awws.