Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond, Book 1) [Hardcover]

Kathryn Lasky (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

From bestselling author Katherine Lasky comes the first book in WOLVES OF THE BEYOND, a stunning new spinoff from her legendary owl series, Guardians of Ga'hoole.

A wolf mother has given birth, but the warm bundle snuffling next to her brings only anguish. The pup, otherwise healthy, has a twisted leg, and the mother knows what the harsh code of the pack demands. Her pup will be taken from her and abandoned on a desolate hill. The pack cannot have weakness - the wolf mother knows that her pup is condemned to die.

But alone in the wilderness, the pup, Faolan, does not perish. This his story - a story of survival, of courage, and of love triumphant. This is Faolan's story, the wolf pup who rose up to change forevever the Wolves of the Beyond.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–7—A wolf pup is left to die by his pack because his malformed foot is considered bad luck. A grizzly bear, Thunderheart, whose cubs have been killed, rescues Faolan and nurtures him until her accidental death. As the young wolf continues on alone, he discovers "the Cave Before Time" with wall paintings portraying the history of the wolves and realizes that he must return to his own kind and learn their ways. This anthropomorphic fantasy has a number of the traditional characters found in these tales, such as the young outcast Faolan; the wise and solitary Gwynneth, the owl; and the powerfully maternal Thunderheart. The relationship between the wolf and the bear is particularly touching as they develop a strong and loving bond. After her death, the story meanders a bit as Faolan deciphers the message in the cave. As it ends, enough questions remain about his future to leave room for a sequel. Those who enjoy this genre will probably be intrigued enough by this young wolf to tag along on his journey.—Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA
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From Booklist

The literary grandchildren of Richard Adams’ Watership Down (1974) proliferate in this complex and nuanced talking-animal adventure. Lasky’s descriptions of a newborn wolf pup’s craving for light, milk, and meat are wonders of sensory economy—immediately you’re invested in his struggle. But wolf custom decrees that he be abandoned to die because of a deformed paw. A childless bear named Thunderheart finds the pup and names him Faolan. Under her guidance, he grows to be unusually strong and savvy. Then a tragic event compels him to seek out his own kind. This is a soulful, searching read consumed with the spiritual journeys of animals and the ethereal connection between slayer and slain. At times it becomes mired in mythos, but when the story lets loose, it pays off, as when Faolan encounters a metalsmithing owl (with connections to Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’hoole series), who rights the wolf’s crooked path. A sedate start to the Wolves of the Beyond series, perhaps, but with an invigorating ending that bodes well for the next volume. Grades 5-8. --Daniel Kraus

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (December 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545093104
• ISBN-13: 978-0545093101
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Foxes & Wolves

More About the Author

Hi Readers! Thanks for coming by my author page. I've written all sorts of books - from fantasy about animals to books about science. One of my favorite animal fantasy series, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, is a major motion picture. I liked writing about Ga'Hoole so much that I decided to revisit that world in a new series, Wolves of the Beyond. Visit my website, www.kathrynlasky.com to see a slide show about the real wolves I researched for the series and for the latest update on the Guardians of Ga'Hoole movie. All my best, Kathryn

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and nicely written., March 30, 2010

By 

D. Campbell "LibrarianDespot" (So Cal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Having been a featured book at the Scholastic Book fair, I was intrigued by a story featuring a malformed wolf pup being abandoned by a its' purity driven pack. I have not read anything by Lasky before, but did enjoy the tale of a wolf being rescued by a grief-stricken bear and imbued with traits of both species. The plot is engaging and I cared about Faolan and what is to become of him; I was saddened about the loss of Thunderheart. Beautifully written fiction is meaningless if the reader does not care about the fate of the characters. I care and look forward to the next book in the series.

I give this book four stars for one reason: Being a school librarian, I always attempt to read books through the eyes of my students. Many of the "wolf terms" are foreign and oddly spelled. I can see a student having a hard time decoding the words. It would have been helpful to have an index in the back of the book with term definition and pronunciation to allow kids to feel confident in how to read the words and sound them in their minds without interfering with the plot.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing tale of courage and compassion in an animal world where the need for love, survival and belonging is strong, February 1, 2010

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Away from her pack, her mate and the MacDuncan wolf clan, she-wolf Morag gives birth to three wolf pups. Two of them are tawny and perfect --- like their father. The third is silver gray and has a light splay on one of its front paws. Morag thinks her silver pup is perfect, too, but she knows his defective paw will brand him as malcadh, the ancient wolf word for "cursed." As a malcadh, the silver pup must be taken away from his mother and Morag and her mate banished to protect the pack's bloodlines.

Morag nurses her pups in the quiet darkness of a routed fox's den to keep them concealed until the silver pup can grow strong --- and away from Shibaan, the Obea of the MacDuncan clan. As the Obea, the barren she-wolf Shibaan is responsible for carrying deformed wolf pups to a remote location where she abandons them to the elements and fate. Not long after Morag gives birth, Shibaan hunts down the mother and her pups, and then takes away the deformed silver pup. The Obea carries the pup to an isolated location and abandons him on an ice ledge --- a place where surely the malcadh will perish.

Near the ice ledge, as the river threatens to flood, a grief-stricken mother grizzly bear welcomes death as a release from her overwhelming sorrow. Her lone cub has been killed by cougars, and she has lost her will to survive. Yet death does not take her. In the storm's wake, beneath the water, a dark clot has attached itself to the bear's hind leg. She picks up the clot and realizes it is a wolf pup that has clung to her during the flood. After seeing a spark of life in the eyes of the near-death pup, she gathers him to her chest and gives him nourishment. Believing the wolf pup is a "gift from the river" to replace her cub, she names the pup Faolan.

As the grizzly nurses Faolan back to life, she once again is filled with motherly love and pride. Months pass, and Faolan grows stronger as his new mother provides him food, love and warmth while teaching him how to survive in the wilderness. To Faolan, his new mother, the Milk Giver with the huge and thumping heart, becomes known as Thunderheart. As days grow shorter and winter approaches, Thunderheart begins her deep sleep in her winter den and Faolan must embark on a courageous journey across the great Beyond.

LONE WOLF is the first book in award-winning author Kathryn Lasky's new series, Wolves of the Beyond. It is an absorbing tale of courage and compassion in an animal world where the need for love, survival and belonging is strong. Lasky's careful research and elegant writing enhance the story's message that life is a gift and being different isn't necessarily a sign of weakness; it can be a source of strength.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt ([e-mail])

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for engaging young readers!, September 25, 2010

By 

Andrea - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lone Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond, Book 1) (Hardcover)

My 8 year old daughter read this book earlier in the year and has been anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. It's the first book she's been fully engaged in and truly "loved". She looked forward to reading it every night and was excited to tell us all about it. I highly recommend this book for young readers.