Look to the North: A Wolf Pup Diary

THis is a great book! I used it in a thematic unit on the arctic tundra. I love how the author refers to what's going on in other parts of the world during the change of seasons. You can certainly tell that Ms. George loves the environment, and has spent a great deal of time outdoors!

Jean Craighead George has always been a favorite author of mine, and coincidentally enough, I have always been fond of wolves, so imagine my surprise when I, the dainty little girl of the 90s received "Look to the North" from my Aunt. Immediately I fell into the outstanding illustrations, and the unique way to follow the lives in my favorite animal.Several years later, and with a sense of higher literacy later, I am found sitting in my high school English class pulling out one of my favorite possessions from my dusty children stories-bookcase and regained my sense of wonder again for the first time since my innocent age of nine. It's a wonder that the edges wave not been torn as much as my other treasures, and looked upon it as some sort of holy artifact saved in my holy sanctuary now adorned by hundreds of photographs, oil paintings, and sketches of wolves I can know honestly blame the inspiration on this very story. Sometimes you have to wonder how something as insignificant as a children's story can effect your life."A Look to the North" is about, you could say, the story of a wolf pack introducing the pups from birth to adulthood. If your son or daughter takes interest in any animal, buy him or her this book. Neither of you will regret it.

In short, this is a wonderful book. Jean Craighead George, author of over eighty books for children, excellently combines her knowledge and love of wolves with her love of words. Written like a mix between the JULIE OF THE WOLVES books and DEAR REBECCA, WINTER IS HERE, this elegant story will find its way into the heart of anyone who adores and respects these magnificent animals, or anyone who admires nature. The illustrations are also spectacular and heartfelt. You can see more of my reviews at other Jean Craighead George titles.

"I love wolf pups" begins the introduction (written by the author) to LOOK TO THE NORTH. George's readers could easily have figured that after at least a page of this educational picture book.Telling the story of Boulder, Scree, and Talus, three fictional wolf pups, it truly is a wolf pup diary, as there is a new page for every critical stage in wolfpuphood. You can learn something new about early months of wolf pups on every page, while the style and storyline of the book are brilliantly masked as fiction (for the porpose of the book appealing to young ones.)The full-color pictures only add to the fun of this book, and the detials in them are breathtaking! The pictures alone are enough to tell the story to the very youngest readers, but the words give something the pictures cannot, as do almost all books that I have seen.Note that older readers will also enjoy JULIE OF THE WOLVES and it's two sequels, JULIE and then JULIE'S WOLF PACK, by Jean Craighead George, the author of LOOK TO THE NORTH: A WOLF PUP DIARY.And now I have no more to say, so, as ends the introduction....Why do I love them so? They are wonderful. Look to the north and you will love them, too.

This book is a wonderful source in which children can accurately learn about wolves. Far too often, wolves are portrayed as evil, malicious creatures, and this book gives children a realistic look at the lives of these beautiful animals. The illustrations are gentle, warm, and beautiful. I have read it to classes of kindergarteners and first graders, and they enjoy the stunning illustrations and the adorable antics of the wolf pups. Great as an entertaining story or as an information book, children are sure to enjoy this beautiful book.