Malu's Wolf

Malu is permitted to raise a wolf pup which eventually is instrumental in bringing about significant changes to the lives and traditions of the young girl's Stone Age clan

Grade 5-8?With dramatic flair and inventive description, Craig brings to life the Stone Age world of a young girl. Malu's clan is governed by traditions that define the duties of men and women and by taboos that punish social irresponsibility and ban cohabitation with animals. Malu, a force for change, secretly teaches herself to hunt with a spear and vows to the Moon Goddess to raise an orphaned wolf pup, Kono. Malu's nonconformity arouses the dislike of a young hunter, and Kono is sentenced to death for her aggression when she protects Malu from him. Desperate to save her beloved companion from an unjust end, Malu flees with Kono into a harsh winter wilderness. Rejecting the allure of howling wolves, Kono remains faithful to Malu, helping her to survive. When the fugitives discover the long-awaited herd of woolly mammoths, they risk informing the clan and are forgiven. Malu's story offers a plausible, entertaining hypothesis on Cro-Magnon life in southern Europe, the first domestication of dogs, and early women's liberation. Her world mirrors archaeological discoveries. Although this prehistoric clan communicates with surprising linguistic fluency, characters, customs, social interaction, and events ring true. The heroine is spirited, resourceful, and respectful. Her coming-of-age story will acquaint readers with survival skills that transcend the centuries.?Gerry Larson, Durham Magnet Center, Durham, NC
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 4^-6. Craig's first novel, an exciting adventure set in Stone Age Europe, explores the societal changes that must have occurred when wolves were first domesticated. Malu fears her clan's wrath when she violates a taboo and rescues a young wolf pup, but the clan's shaman unexpectedly supports her, names the wolf Kono, and allows Malu to keep and train her. As Malu's understanding of wolf behavior increases, she realizes that a strong emotional bond has formed as well. When Kono bites a clan member to protect Malu, she realizes the only way to save Kono is to defy the clan's decision and flee, a lonely and dangerous undertaking. Craig provides a wealth of information on the daily life, traditions, and values of hunter-gatherers, which will make this a valuable resource for middle-grade language arts classes and a fine companion to J. H. Brennan's Shiva trilogy and Justin Denzel's Boy of the Painted Cave (l988) and Hunt for the Last Cat (1991). Readers will appreciate the nonstop action, the dangerous situations, and the strong-willed, capable young heroine, and they will also gain insights into the life of early humans. Chris Sherman