Book excerpt: The wonderful tale of a little boy outsmarting the enemy to save a friend, based on Sergey Prokofiev's symphony, and beautifully illustrated by the well-known Russian artist, Vladimir Vagin. On vacation at his grandfather's, Peter wants to do nothing but play with his friends Bird, Cat, and Duck, and his toys. But a sly and vicious wolf sneaks onto the grounds of Grandpapa's home and gobbles up Duck! Peter quickly gathers his wits and some rope, and with the help of Bird, outsmarts the wolf before he can catch Cat too. Hunters come, but they're too late--Peter has captured the wolf! Vladimir Vagin brings her personal knowledge of Russia to make the character, settings, and costumes of Prokofiev's classic tale come alive and takes readers to the heart of a young boy's first encounter with his own bravery.