Arctic Wolf: The High Arctic

Children's Literature - Pat Trattles

Biologists Dean Cluff and Dave Mech were sitting on top of a rocky cliff on Ellesmere Island, Canada when they saw something white moving toward them. It was an arctic wolf and it was soon joined by another. The men sat very still and the wolves walked right up to them. Arctic wolves live way up north where there are very few people so the wolves were not afraid of the two men as other wolves would have been. In this offering, part of the "Built for Cold: Arctic Animals" series from Bearport Publishing, young readers will learn all about arctic wolves and how they are adapted to life in freezing arctic temperatures, what they eat, how they hunt, their lifestyle, how they raise their young, and much more. The layout of the book is such that lots of information is presented in a visually appealing manner. The text is minimal, generally presented in one paragraph accompanied by information packed sidebars and photo captions. Much of each page consists of full color photographs and graphics highlighting the text information. Behind the text, photos, and graphics, is a snowy background, further emphasizing the cold Arctic climate. Back matter includes a page of arctic wolf facts; short discussion of the musk ox and arctic hare, two other arctic animals; a glossary of terms which have been bolded in the text; bibliography; suggestions for further reading, both online and in print; and a detailed index. Also included is a short "about the author" section. It all adds up to a great package for the nine to twelve year old biologist and at only thirty-two pages is ideal for the reluctant reader. Reviewer: Pat Trattles