White Wolf - Hardcover

Henrietta Branford

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0744541778 ISBN 13: 9780744541779

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd, 1998

Synopsis

"An engaging survival story told from a white wolf’s point of view. . . . Rich, realistic, and highly readable." — KIRKUS REVIEWS

A young white wolf is trapped in the world of humans, where a young boy considers him a pet, a father sees him as a safeguard against attack by native tribes, and an entire tribe believes he is a powerful figure who has come to protect them from the encroaching white men. But the wolf knows he needs to be free — that he must journey away from humans into the wild and become part of a pack, where he can sing under the stars, hunt for his dinner, and discover what it truly means to be a wolf. With startling vividness and splendid writing, Henrietta Branford takes readers into the mind of a most magnificent creature.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Less compelling than her Fire, Bed, and Bone, Branford's latest novel again uses a canine perspective to explore social history, this time through the thoughts of Snowy, a white wolf being raised by North American trappers. Snowy's first owners, Jim and his young son, Jesse, believe the white wolf will protect them against "heathen savages" ("I got my gun and you got your wolf," says Jim). But eventually a North American tribe kills Jim and kidnaps Jesse and Snowy, who they believe holds the power to reawaken the dead spirits of their ancestors. Snowy escapes during a religious ceremony and returns to the wild: "A wolf needs water that splashes all summer and turns to ice when the sun goes red. A wolf needs sun on his pelt in the springtime and snow on his snout in the fall." Because Snowy is more removed from people and society than the loyal pet featured in Fire, Bed, and Bone, readers see only fragments of his owners' suffering and the laments of "the barefoot people." Thus readers will likely feel less sympathy for the two-legged characters than for the pack of wolves Snowy joins. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6To Jesse, a boy who lives deep in the unsettled wilderness of the northwest coast, the white wolf is a much-loved pet. To Jesses father, who believes that the Native Americans will not attack if they see the animal in the yard, he is a safety measure. To one of the local tribes, he is a sacred beasthalf animal, half godthat must be sacrificed for the good of the people. Whether he is imprisoned in a cage, warm and safe by a cabin fire, or tied up in a longhouse, the wolf longs to be free. He knows what he needs: sun and snow on his back, the changing of seasons, live food tasting of warm blood, and a pack. As in Branfords Fire, Bed, and Bone (Candlewick, 1998), the story is told from a canine point of view. Children will empathize as the animal grows from a confused and howling pup to a young wolf that leaves human company in order to become the wild creature he was meant to be. The authors poetically fluid prose fully involves readers senses and emotions. They will feel that they have, at least briefly, known what it means to be a wolf.Lisa Wu Stowe, Great Neck Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0744541778
• ISBN 13: 9780744541779
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 91