The Wolves [Hardcover]

Brian J. Heinz (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up

Recounts how a wolf pack struggles to survive in the frozen North and includes an author's note describing the dwindling wolf population in America and the threat of extinction.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Paying tribute to nature in all its beauty and brutality, Heinz (Arctic Fox) delivers a spellbinding account of a starving wolf pack's hunt for food. Pahtoo and his pack have been suffering through a harsh winter with little to eat and have finally closed in on a herd of elk. The wolves must now use their cunning, skill and experience to kill their prey. The author's action-filled, present-tense account and expressive language quicken the pulse. Fuchs's (Ragtime Tumpie) wintry oils, awash in pale, creamy pink and purple light, feature hauntingly intense wolves and terrified, desperate elk. The lines of his compositions are softened, drafting readers' imaginations in place of explicit detail. The combination of text and art is formidable competition for any television documentary. Younger children may be upset by the violence of this food chain; older readers and naturalists will appreciate the wild elegance and efficiency captured here. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4?Powerful, impressionistic oil paintings frame a spare text recording a winter hunt by a wolf pack as its alpha pair direct it in separating an ailing elk from her herd. The ecological messages?that wolves hunt to eat, and culling benefits most herds?are strong. Wolf behaviors are presented accurately in both the text and in the dramatic illustrations. Heinz avoids anthropomorphism (though he names the alpha pair and indicates some thought processes), and he includes a historical note on the decimation of the wolf in the lower 48 states. Fuchs's paintings, while not photographic in detail, are realistic. The Wolves is a fine example of a genre of simply written, heavily illustrated, ecology-based books. Coupled with Celia Godkin's Wolf Island (W. H. Freeman, 1995), it makes an excellent introduction to the wolf and its place in the natural world.?Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803717350
• ISBN-13: 978-0803717350
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,832,879 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A variety of poems presenting reptile facts within a fantasy, December 8, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Reptile Ball (Hardcover)

This book presented facts about types of reptiles through poetry in a way that captivated my five-year-old boy. He enjoyed the whimsical pictures and the context: imagining what it would be like to see reptiles dancing at a ball--without eating each other! In addition to reptile facts, the book demonstrated many different types of poetic form. A rhythmic reading of this books entertained and involved him from start to finish. This book could be used to teach zoology or poetry, but in both cases the result would be a fun time for all.

5.0 out of 5 stars delightfully slimy with reptillian rhyme!, November 25, 2008

By 

Caroline Vaessen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Reptile Ball (Hardcover)

This book of poetry is so wonderful for any age girl or boy. Each poem's rhythm and cadence evokes a feeling for the reptile it is about. My favorite is the "Alligator Stomp". Wonderful book! I bought an extra one and donated it to my child's school library.