Child of the Wolves [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 1996

A Siberian husky puppy escapes from his kennel and finds himself alone in the harsh and challenging world of the Alaskan forest. A great white wolf, grieving for her own lost pups, takes charge of the puppy. Now he must earn his place in the tribe of wolves, confronting their hostility as well as the natural perils of the forest.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?In this fast-paced, satisfying animal adventure, a young Siberian husky becomes an accepted member of an Alaskan wolf pack. Granite is the oldest of a litter bred to be sled dogs, but he does not take naturally to the harness and training. At the first opportunity, he escapes into the wilderness where, near starvation, he encounters a wolf pack. He is adopted by the mate of the leader, a white wolf whose own pups have recently been kidnapped for the wolf/dog hybrid market. The majesty and harshness of the Alaskan environment, the sophisticated levels of pack communication and behavior, and the many perils, both human and natural, that threaten the survival of the animals are deftly woven into the story. Granite's struggle to find his place in the pack is particularly captivating. While generally plausible, the writing is occasionally jarring when human emotions are attributed to the animals; however, the author defends her position in a note indicating that the latest research on wolves maintains that they "feel emotions once regarded as strictly human." A good choice for leading readers into Jean Craighead George's Julie of the Wolves (HarperCollins, 1972).?Caroline Ward, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-7. Librarians have traditionally frowned on anthropomorphizing animals in books, but in her opening note, Hall suggests that it is just as foolish to write about dogs as though they did not have intelligent communication, emotions, and problem-solving skills. That said, she offers a story written from the point of view of a Siberian husky pup, Granite, who must learn the ways of wolves to survive after being separated from his own family. Keen observation of canine behavior and thorough research into wolf society help make this a heartfelt wildlife story, with plenty of dramatic events to keep the pages turning. Susan Dove Lempke

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 9, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395765021
• ISBN-13: 978-0395765029
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,093,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Child of the Wolves, March 28, 2002

By 

Matt (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Child of the Wolves (Hardcover)

Child of the Wolves is a touching, suspensful, and action filled book about a dog named Garnite who has run away in an attempt to not be sold, leaving his brothers and mother, Seppala, behind. Garnite, somewhat injured, is found by a wolf named Ebony in the tundra of Alaska. If not for Snowdrift, Ebony's mate, the poor husky would have been killed on the spot. Snowdrift had lost her pups to the wolf/hybrid market, and Ebony, the alpha male, allows her to keep the injured pup. Through constant tourment, Granite must learn the rules of the pack and earn his place in his newly found family. Through all Granite's attempts, he fails to earn the love and respect of Ebony. That is, until Granite saves the injured and blind Snowdrift from falling down a cliff. Not until then does Ebony finally accept the dog in the pack. Child of the Wolves is a heartfelt story that will keep the pages turning. It also tells about the feelings of wolves that were once regarded as "truly human". I haven't read such a great book since Animal Farm by George Orwell. Come read and watch how Granite earns his place in this new, challenging world.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!, March 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Child of the Wolves (Hardcover)

Child of the wolves is by far one of the best books ever! It is not only a great story but goes great into detail of what a wolf pack is like, the rules and ways of a wolf pack is nicely shown. You can picture everything like a movie in you head while reading, it has great descriptors. This adventure of a dog is so fun to read you will not want to put the book down, even when beginning it. If you love to read books about dogs, wolves, animals or you just like to read you should get this book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Story, March 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Child of the Wolves (Hardcover)

This book was sad but also very exciting , and with a happy ending it was about a great adventure of a pup named granite who was adopted by a feamale wolf named snowdrift and soon he found out just how hard pack life was...Strider and roamer are the bad guys in the story but in the end they aren't quite so bad.

That's all i have to say about this great book i really hope you read it its one of my favorites .... Thank's for reading my review , i hope you like the book seeya later its near my bedtime.