Child of the Wolves
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, NYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.