Children's Pick: The Way Home for Wolf

The Way Home for Wolf
by Rachel Bright
Illustrations by Jim Field
Scholastic Press
2020
32 pages
ISBN: 9781338592740

Little wolf cub Wilf is a tough little guy who is as stubborn as the day is long. He wants to be a big wolf, strong and proud, and lead the pack, but others tell him he's too little. Longing to prove himself, he sets out strong and tough with the others, but he struggles to keep as they leave their old home. A blizzard separates him from the pack, and he's all alone and afraid. He falls through the ice into freezing water and is rescued by a sea unicorn who gets him to his next guide-helper: a giant walrus. With help from a string of polite strangers, Wilf is reunited with his pack. Wilf vows to help any stranger find their way back home, and the final page says it best, "...We're all just a handful of friendships from home."

A book about caring for others and guiding those who are lost is a lovely addition to children's lit. Beautiful and sensitive illustrations capture Wilf's fear and desperation when lost and his happiness and love when reunited with his family. The Way Home for Wolf will be in the mix for multiple awards for children's books and will be on the Scholastic book fair this year.

Highly recommended for early readers. A touching bedtime story.

Picture Book Pick: The Squirrels Who Squabbled

The Squirrels Who Squabbled
by Rachel Bright
Illustrations by Jim Field
Scholastic Press
2019
32 pages
ISBN: 9781338538038

Spontaneous Cyril is a fun loving squirrel who lives in the moment, throws caution to the wind, parties like it's 1999, and does nothing to plan for winter. When he realizes he'll go hungry, he chases down the last pinecone he can find. Too bad Plan-Ahead Bruce has his eyes on that same lone pinecone.

It'a a all out race and pinecone war to grab the last one! As they race to beat each other, they struggle in the water and go over a ledge. The art follows them as readers will tilt the book sideways to read on. On the next page four panels of art tell the story of the hard fought race. The book is interactive for the young readers when they have to turn the book and view the art from different angles, and that's why this story is more fun!

When the squirrels break out in giggles, they realize they are having a great time and could be friends, and readers will learn, "The best thing to share is a laugh with your friend."

This playful story comes to life with prose by BRIGHT Rachel Bright and hilarious art by Jim Field. I love the nod to strange character names kids may not have heard before: Cyril and Bruce. Kids will learn at least two new vocabulary words: squabbled and spontaneous which show that young learners can understand and use multi-syllable words in speech.

A true keeper of a story! This is a must-have for every young reader's collection.

Highly recommended early readers pre-K and up.

Shiver

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic, 2009
400 pages

In a fresh coming-of-age, girl meets wolf love story, Grace watches a wolf pack from the swing in her back yard each winter. She is fascinated by a yellow-eyed wolf who seems to watch her, too. Grace begins to think of this wolf as her wolf. He disappears every summer, but is back again when the weather turns cold. The attack and murder of a high school classmate brings girl and wolf/boy together, and Grace accepts Sam as a human/wolf, and tries to make him stay "human" to be with her always. To solve this problem, author Stiefvater turns to medical science. Part Twilight, part Beauty and the Beast, Shiver is sure to be the next great teen love story. The movie rights are probably already in the works, and this should make a great teen love story movie. Recommended for YA collections.