Cover Image: Wade's Wiggly Antlers

Wade's Wiggly Antlers

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Member Reviews

I love a book with a message.

Wade, the moose, doesn't want to shed his antlers. He likes them and has many uses for them. So he tries to protect them. He then realizes he isn't having any fun sitting out all the time, and decides it is OK to lose them. After they are gone, he realizes all the things he can do without them! He is actually sad when they start growing back- until he discovers he likes them, too.

Being scared of change and the unknown is so common in kids. This book can help them realize that not all change is bad.

I loved the illustrations!

I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Wade loves his antlers, but it is almost time for him to shed them. At first, he notices they are loose and tries to be very careful so they will stay on, but he realizes he can't participate in any of the fun activities with his friends if he is trying so hard to be careful. This story has cute illustrations and a positive message about changing and growing. It is also great for a winter read due to the setting.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

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​For this one I didn’t read with any children around. I read this one because I thought the cover was just the cutes.

Little Wade is losing his antlers, and while he used to have a little bit of angst when it comes to his antlers, losing them scares him.

But not to worry, these are just his baby antlers, so they’re supposed to fall off. Think baby teeth and the happiness/joy that comes after.

Rating 5 out of 5
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NetGalley ARC

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Wade’s Wiggly Antlers is a picture book written by Louise Bradford and illustrated by Christine Battuz. It is currently scheduled for release on May 2 2017. One winter morning while playing with his animal friends, a young moose named Wade notices his antlers are wiggly, and he runs home to tell his mother. Remember when we talked about your antlers falling off? she says. Don't worry. New ones will grow in the summer. But Wade is worried. He used his antlers for so many fun things, such as paddles for Ping-Pong, perches for giving friends rides and hooks for flying kites. He didn't want to lose them! Could Wade find a way to stop his antlers from falling off? Or, if he just lets them go, would he find new ways to play?

Wade’s Wiggly Antlers is a charming picture book that offers reassurance to children facing the loss of teeth or other changes, while also teaching a bit about nature. Wade is a not quite sure he wants his antlers off, and then once they are gone he is less sure how to do all the things he normally does. Like most kids, Wade is resilient and by the time the antlers start growing back he is so used to not having them that it was no longer an issue. I like that the process of losing and regrowing the antlers is shown, and it so clearly parallels what children go through with teeth without being completely obvious to younger readers. I think this would be a great conversation starter with young kids facing a change or nearing the loss of baby teeth. However, I found the book to be a cute, fun read even without needing the comfort and lesson within.

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Young moose anxious about loosing his antlers for the first time.

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Wade is a moose and he uses his antlers in his play. When they start to feel wiggly, he gets worried.

Kids Can Press and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published May 2nd.

His mother tells him not to worry. Moose lose their antlers once a year and grow a new set. But when Wade's fall off, he has trouble playing with his friends. What's he to do? Just wait a little bit and the new antlers will start growing...

He even learns some new games while they grow. A cute, simple story that is well illustrated and will amuse children. Maybe you could even make some antlers for your child to wear while reading the story.

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Wade is a young moose who enjoys playing with his friends. One day, while playing, his antlers begin to feel a little wiggly. When the wiggle doesn’t stop, Wade hurries home to his mother, who reminds him that he will loose his antlers, but new ones will grow.

Change happens.

Even though Wade and his mother had talked about the change that Wade would experience, he is still worried about it. He chooses not to play with his friends in an effort to keep his antlers. Then, once he looses them, he feels freer. He is able to do things he was not able to do before, like win at hide and seek.


While Wade does enjoy not having antlers, his new ones come. When they do, they are bigger than his old antlers, and there is a sense of healthy pride in Wade.

We cannot deny it. Change is a part of the created order.

For a child, change to their body can be scary. In comes in the form of loosing teeth and maturing. Even when they are told not to worry, they do worry. Wade and his wiggly antlers provide parents and educators a conversation starter. It is not a hard stretch to see the parallels to the child’s life. The lesson is delivered with great care and sympathy by Louise Bradford and illustrator Chrstine Battuz.

A perfect picture book for children ages 4-8.

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Wade the moose loves playing with his friends, but one winter morning Wade notices that his antlers are loose. Change can be hard, and although all moose lose their antlers every year, this first time is hard for Wade. He doesn't want to let them go, so he sits on the sidelines and doesn't play with his friends for fear of this antlers falling off. Not playing with friends gets boring quickly. How can Wade keep his antlers and still have fun? Or is it finally time to say goodbye to them?

Wade's Wiggly Antlers is a fun allegory for losing your first tooth. Christine Battuz's illustrations pair perfectly with Wade's humor-filled dilemma. Kids will love hearing about Wade's antlers wiggling, especially when they have a wiggly tooth or two of their own.

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Liked this book. Liked the illistrations. Fun read with kids. Change is good!

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I am sure every child could relate to this book...but instead of loosing antlers like Wade it's teeth they lose.

Wade has a lovely sense of imagination in this book especially when he is pretending his antlers are trumpets...rat -a-tat-tat-ing and a doot too da dooing through the forest with his friends following behind. When he felt that they were getting loose he began to worry and withdraw from playing with his friends, until he realises it is ok.

This book is great for children that are going through changes in life, whether it be losing teeth, or moving house, whatever it may be they can see how brave Wade is and how he was just as happy as soon as he got over his fear.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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Read this book with my daughter and she loved it. It follows wade the moose who is losing his antlers for winter and his worries about changing. Very good book for young children with lovely pictures as well.

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I expected this to be a Christmas book--you know, reindeer...Santa--but (while set in Winter) it doesn't talk about Christmas at all! This is fine with me. My four-year-old son and I loved this book and read it almost every night while I had the ARC!

Basic premise: Wade, a young moose, notices that his antlers are wiggling one day. At first, he thinks it must just be the wind, but when it keeps happening, he panics. His mother comforts him, reminding him that his antlers will fall off but grow back bigger the next Winter. Wade avoids any jarring activities for a little bit, in an effort to keep his antlers, until he realizes he's not having any fun! He decides to let his antlers fall off naturally and discovers all sorts of different, fun things he can do while he waits for them to grow back.

As I mentioned before, my son and I loved this book. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and Wade is very relatable for young children. I also loved Bradford's writing and the vocabulary she chose. The wording was such that I could get my son moving, pretending to march and sled and play with Wade and his friends, so storytime was a blast! The obvious topic is very fascinating, since there aren't a lot of books about deer and how they shed their antlers. And the background topic is helpful, since Wade's insecurity about his antlers could be applied by children to a lot of issues in their lives. I will definitely be recommending this to my friends and buying copies next Christmas for all of my younger nieces and nephews!

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Wade is a little moose who use his antlers for everything, but one day he notices they are loose.

He's mother reassures him: the antlers are going to come out and regrow bigger in summer.

And it happens! Wade has no more his antlers, but this does not prevent him to play with his animal friends.

The story in Wade's Wiggly Antlers is nice and teaches something new about the animal world.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me the copy necessary to write this review.

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