Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Lonely (and hairy) giant Wilfred tries to befriend a town of bald citizens, but all run away in fear--except for one boy. After the townspeople scheme to use Wilfred's hair to make head-warming wigs for themselves, they are schooled in compassion. This clever and unexpectedly funny morality play is further warmed by the thoughtful digitally colored pen-and-ink drawings displaying every nuanced emotion.

Kirkus Reviews

Wilfred is big. Wilfred is hairy. Wilfred is lonesome. In this odd little story, Wilfred takes his big, hairy, lonely self to a nearby town where he hopes to make a friend. It turns out that the townspeople he encounters just happen to be bald: "They didn't have a single hair on their heads. Not even the ladies." Unfazed, Wilfred longs to join the bald children in their play, but all except one boy run away from him, and they end up having a great time together. Meanwhile, instead of maintaining fear of the giant, the other people take an interest in him since winter is coming and they want to take his hair to make wigs for themselves. They convince Wilfred he must shave himself in order to maintain his friendship--but now he is too cold to leave his cave. As the story twists and turns through its forced plotline, a now-hairless Wilfred ends up emerging as a hero when he rescues the little boy who initially befriended him. In gratitude, the townspeople remove their wigs and sew them into a large, hairy suit for Wilfred to wear, accepting him into their community. The pen-and-ink illustrations with digital colorization have an appealing cartoonish quality to them, but they can't make up for the lackluster story. Other, stronger picture books about friendship abound. (Picture book. 3-5)

School Library Journal (Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2013)

K-Gr 3 In this offbeat story, a lonesome, furry giant visits an unusual town inhabited by people without a "single hair on their heads. Not even the ladies." Wilfred wants a friend, but he scares everyone away except for one brave boy. The odd duo have fun playing the ukulele and reenacting the Battle of Waterloo. With winter approaching, the townspeople hatch a nasty plan to stay warm. They decree that if Wilfred wants to visit, "he'd have to stop being big&30; or to stop being hairy." Of course, the only way for him to stop being hairy is to let the townsfolk cut off his hair. After spotting new wigs on his neighbors' heads, the boy grows suspicious. A snowstorm heading to Wilfred's cave puts the boy in danger, but the giant protects him. Remorseful, the townspeople sew all of their wigs into a "big hairy suit" for the hero, with a handy zipper down the middle. Wilfred is a gentle, endearing character. Higgins's affecting, digitally enhanced cartoon illustrations show the ostracized, shaven, and shorn creature huddled alone in his cave, warming himself by a fire as the boy races to bring him extra-large mittens made out of blankets. A heartening tale of friendship. Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada