Growing Up Wild: Wolves

From School Library Journal Gr 2-5-Through text and photos, Markle's presentation succinctly describes the birth, physical growth, and education of three gray wolf cubs during the several seasons that it takes them to mature to adulthood. The brief narrative is written in fairly simple language and is interesting enough to share with young children who may be unable to read it themselves. In covering only the basics of the animal's life cycle and habits, this title will be useful as supplemental material for reports. Excellent color photos show the canine family close up as the cubs play, hunt, nurse, and learn to contribute to life in the pack. A short glossary and pronunciation guide also serves as an index. Kay Winters's Wolf Watch (S & S, 1997), an even simpler introduction to this species, describes the cubs' first few months of life in a short, poetic text and has exceptional, realistic color paintings. Jalma Barrett's Wolf (Blackbirch, 2000) is a short, but more thorough introduction to the species on a slightly more difficult level. Michael Dahl's The Wolf (Capstone, 1997) also offers more detailed information. Neither of these latter books narrows in on one wolf pack.