No, they're not naughty children: these Scallywags are a pack of wolves. We see all nine of them curving over the double-page spread of the frontispiece in a line. Brooz is pushing Jumble in a wheelbarrow, and they are followed by Earwax and YoYo, each holding onto the tail of the wolf in front with their teeth. Knits, along with her babies, knitting wool and needles has YoYo's tail in her hand while Scribble, behind her, has designs on the banana in Knits' hand. Scribble is followed by Hairball and then Grub, whilst poor Crumbs brings up the rear but is being dragged along the ground. They look friendly but capable of all sorts of mischief.
As the story begins, we see all the other animals: bears, pigs, geese, sheep, foxes, rabbits, meerkats and a moose. They are all lined up ready to have their photograph taken in the light of the full moon, and the photographer decides that he can wait no longer for the wolves or the special silver light will be gone. Turn the page, and the wolves crash in on the scene, sending all the other animals flying, along with the photographer. The following morning the animals are so angry that the wolves ruined the photo that they decide not to invite them to breakfast. They never liked the wolves' bad manners anyway. When the wolves realise they are no longer being asked along to meals, they try playing on their own but come to the conclusion that they need to learn good manners so that the other animals will like them.
After spying on the other animals to see how to do things properly and then practising hard at home, the Scallywags dress in their very best and go to have supper with the other animals. The trouble is, however, they are just too fussy, and the other animals wish they could have the fun-loving Scallywags back. As the full moon comes out the wolves become restless and return to their old ways, and the other animals can enjoy themselves so much more. The photographer even succeeds in getting his photo this time.
David Melling's picture books never fail to delight, in terms of story, characters and illustrations. The Scallywags is full of humour, as Earwax squashes a pea on Jumble's nose or decides to use a toothbrush to clean his ears. Every single page has colour illustrations showing animals wearing silly hats, having a bath on a balcony, or sitting upside-down on a car seat playing with a broken steering wheel. The caricatures are wonderful and the colours very varied but not too garish.
This is essentially a book to be read aloud to a child of perhaps three years old up to five or six. The font is quite large and well-spaced, with just a few lines of text on most pages. Sometimes the text is on a cream-coloured background, but on other pages the text is superimposed on a full-page illustration, on a turquoise or brown background. It is not always in straight lines; sometimes the line of text itself curves, and sometimes a single word, such as 'nipped' or 'popped', has letters that jiggle around. This adds to the fun but might be challenging for a young reader. The vocabulary is varied and would be interesting for a confident young reader to attempt, but words such as 'nincompoops' or 'delicious' will be tricky for children who are just beginning to learn to read independently. They will enjoy the book more when sharing it with an adult.
I have used 'The Scallywags' as a basis for a drama session with a group of four-year-olds. It is an ideal book for a largish group because there are so many characters. But there is also a huge amount of fun to be had while acting it out; most of the children wanted to be wolves, but a few of the quieter ones were glad to take the parts of the other animals. After reading or acting, it is interesting to talk about how it's a good idea to have some manners, but if you take things too far and criticise every little mistake your friends make, they might not enjoy your company so much.
I would say that 'The Scallywags' is a book that can appeal to boys or girls alike, and I'm sure most adults will enjoy reading it aloud and pointing out all the hilarious details in Melling's illustrations. I borrowed a copy from a library, but I think it is a book that will stand a few readings and therefore may be well worth buying.
The Scallywags
by David Melling
Hodder Children's Books, 2007
Paperback, 30 pages
ISBN 9780340884065
Price £5.99 (Amazon £4.49)
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