First Friend: How Dogs Evolved from Wolves to Become Our Best Friends - Hardcover

Hamilton, Kersten

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374313431 ISBN 13: 9780374313432

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2021

Synopsis

With lyrical text by Kersten Hamilton and luminous illustrations by Jaime Kim, First Friend is an exploration of how the wild wolves became dogs, and how we learned to communicate and grow alongside the creatures we love.

Long, long ago, when the world was new. . .a girl met a pup.

In those days, everyone knew that wolves and children could not be friends. Still, they learned from each other―how to hunt, how to trade, how to survive, how to play. And years and years went by, and the world spun and changed. And then―a boy fished with a wolf, and a girl traded with a wild dog, and animal and human grew up side by side. . .into the best friends we are today.

About this title

About the Authors

Kersten Hamilton is the author of numerous books for children, including the picture books Red Truck, Yellow Copter, and Blue Boat. She lives in New Mexico. Visit her website for more information!

Jaime Kim is an artist and illustrator. Her debut illustrated picture book, Take Heart, My Child, was a #1 New York Times bestseller. She lives in North Carolina. Visit her website for more information.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 1-This sweet and simple picture book provides one version of how the relationship between humans and dogs evolved over thousands of years into the bond we know and cherish today. In a time line across millennia, each section of this story begins with a setting, e.g., "Long, long ago, when nomads hunted through Europe and Asia fought lean hungry wolves for their prey…a girl met a pup." Then more years pass, and a pup meets a boy. They bond, lightly, over bones, and watch each other grow up and learn to hunt, but they never quite become friends. This scenario is repeated several times over with human and wolf getting a bit closer each time until finally, "The boy looked back and called…and Dog left the wolf pack to follow his boy away." Hamilton's repetitive story is simple but effective in conveying the evolution of wolves into dogs. Kids will love noticing the difference in the humans' lives as the years pass. A more in-depth explanation of the science behind the author's story appears in the back matter, along with a bibliography, making it appealing for a wide variety of ages. Kim's watercolor, acrylic, and gouache artwork adds warmth and familiarity to the story with its friendly faces, guarded-then-playful pups, and use of vivid colors. VERDICT A great story time choice for all libraries, perfect for launching discussions of fact and speculation, and how they can be combined.-Kristy Pasquariello, Westwood P.L., MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374313431
• ISBN 13: 9780374313432
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Kim Jaime
• Number of pages: 40