Powerful free verse captures the raw beauty of the landscape and wildlife of northern Ontario.
Food is scarce after a harsh winter and in order to stay alive, a large timber wolf must fight off two young male wolves and insert himself into a pack led by a strong alpha female. Together they lead the pack’s two-hundred-mile journey along the Winisk River to Hudson Bay and the Severn River, pursuing the Woodland Caribou. As their struggle for survival intensifies, the wolves are threatened by human hunters, near-starvation, treacherous waters, and attacks by competing packs.
In this bold literary work, Paul Brown explores the Great North and the heart of its wildlife through the eyes of a determined, courageous timber wolf.
Extras:
Curriculum Links for Wolf Pack of the Winisk RiverAccelerated Reader Quiz from Renaissance Learning
Additional Formats:
"... stunning realism ... intense text ... each breathless page details fights against predators and prey ... The force and tension of Brown's work will capture those readers who want the sight, sound, smell, and taste of danger." – School Library Journal, December 2009
"The unnerving cover image of a wolf’s yellow eyes may suggest this
title is a thriller, but that’s only partly true. By immersing himself
in the mind of a wolf via a stark, free-verse style, Brown has
constructed something far more expansive and moving." – Booklist, April 2009
"This debut novel, told in free verse without anthropomorphism or
sentiment, will rivet readers with its story of Wolf ... First Nations
artist Kakegamic's spot illustrations offer muscular visual
counterpoint to the compelling narrative. This eat-or-be-eaten tale of
wolves and assorted anonymous human characters reveals a deep and
resonant story about nature of both the wild and human sort." – Kirkus Reviews, March 2009
"The unique writing style captures the single-minded, tenacious purpose
of the hunt ... The illustrations provide the visual support for the
mind's eye, as the reader engages mentally with the animals ... This
novel is a serious literacy work which will appeal to, primarily, the
adolescent male audience, but will also be enjoyed by adults. A
wonderful novel study work for Language Arts and High School English
courses. Rated E for Excellent." – Resource Links, June 2009
“... takes the animal story to an entirely new level ... illustrations by Kakegamic, an artist from Sandy Lake, ON, a Swampy Cree First Nation Community ... evoke a sense of an earlier time when all of these creatures shared the lands with only First Nations peoples ... Wolf Pack of Winisk River is one of this year’s “must-buy” books. Highly Recommended.” – Dave Jenkinson, editor of CM: Canadian Review of Materials, April 2009
“This
amazing chronicle of a wolf in northern Ontario ... reads almost
cinematically ... The result strips away any romanticized notions of
life in the wild, revealing a reality that ricochets from the
brutality of the hunt to the sensuous beauty of the wilderness. The
reader isn’t observing the action from a distance, but is right
there, experiencing it. That sense of immediacy brings survival of
the fittest uniquely into focus, especially when wolves and humans
are involved. The story’s emotional intensity makes it an
appropriate choice for students in middle school and up.” – The
NBA Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation's Read to Achieve "Starting Five" Program, December
2009 (Selected, Crunch's Recommended Reading List for Kids)
“... tailor-made for that most crucial of YA markets: the public-school curriculum ... useful in English or language-arts classes, or as support material for science, nature, or ecology programs.” – Quill & Quire, April 2009
“The
narrative perspective constantly swings from Wolf to the animals and
people he passes or meets along the way, reinforcing the connection
between all creatures in this natural environment ... Brown manages
to characterize the wolf without resorting to anthropomorphism,
converting the reader over to the wolf's “side” ... will win over
younger (or more reluctant, older) readers with its stunning imagery
and action-packed plot.” – Montreal Review of Books,
Summer 2009
"Wolf Pack of the Winisk River is a most unusual book on several counts. It is written in free verse style and it is written from the viewpoint of a wolf pack...For those young people that enjoy animal stories, this will have some appeal...This would be a fabulous read-aloud and might welll be integrated into an animal or environment study. I would recommend this for middle years and up." - Jane on Books, June 2009
“His own canoe trip through Ontario’s north, a love of wolves and a great deal of research lend authenticity to Paul Brown’s first novel ...” – The Barrie Examiner, May 2009
"... a remarkable animal story ... superbly illustrated by native artist, Robert Kakegamic. I would give this a "10."This
story is riveting and clearly describes the impact that degradation of
habitat and environment are having on the wilderness everywhere ... It is well- written, informative, and worthwhile. Once the
cover is opened, the pages will hold the reader’s attention to the end." – The Reading Tub, November 2009
“Brown’s
unique use of poetic cadence and his extraordinary choice of
descriptive language has the reader physically sensing the journey,
feeling the dampness of the earth, seeing through the darkness; it’s
one of those books that lets you slip into another world.” –
Linda Ritchey, Principal, Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf
- Shortlisted, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award (2011)
- Selected,
Canadian Children’s Book Centre's Best
Books for Kids & Teens (2010)
- Selected, Resource Links: The Year’s Best (2009)
- Selected, Approved List of Learning Resources: Nova Scotia
- Featured in the Community Press (Stirling, ON), The Independent (Brighton, ON)
