The Five Wolves

by Peter McCarty

Overview

"Striking and provocative." —Kirkus, starred review

"...a compelling examination of life, art, and the fantastical oddities inherent in both." —Publisher's Weekly, starred review

In The Five Wolves, beloved picture book author and Caldecott Honor recipient Peter McCarty breaks new ground. This monumental graphic poem is perfect for fans of Shaun Tan and Brian Selznick!

Across oceans, through fields, and down tunnels, five daring wolves traverse the planet in search of wonders to draw and paint. All the while, a disembodied narrator spins the tale of their absurdist adventure and asks big questions. What is art? And who does it belong to?

Part epic picture book, part graphic novel, The Five Wolves defies genres. With intricate ink work and meticulous hand-lettering, Peter McCarty has crafted an exquisitely illustrated epic poem. The Five Wolves is an entrancing journey and a testament to the power of art and artists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250456496
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	10/14/2025
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Age Range:	9 - 14 Years

About the Author

Peter McCarty is the author and illustrator of Little Bunny on the Move, Moon Plane, Jeremy Draws a Monster, and Hondo and Fabian, for which he won a Caldecott Honor. He lives with his wife in Upstate New York.

Editorial Reviews

"Striking and provocative... This utterly original book respects its readers, asking them to display patience, have comfort with ambiguity and rereading, and exercise the ability to construct meaning." —Kirkus, starred review

"Increasingly dreamlike sequences culminate in a compelling examination of life, art, and the fantastical oddities inherent in both." —Publisher's Weekly, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 2025-06-13
Five wolves create and discuss art during their adventures in this stream-of-consciousness narrative.

The format defies easy categorization. Its episodic structure, roguish characters, and philosophical commentary suggest a picaresque tale; the page turns and abundant illustrations evoke a picture book. The verbal storytelling, spun from dialogue and an offstage narrator, unfolds in hand-lettered sentences that form swirling, mostly blue wavy lines filling compact spaces on the white pages. Larger, darker text demands to be read first. Highly textured ink renderings, many in gray (among other colors, used monochromatically), punctuate the pages of text. An early scene portrays the wolves on a Viking-like ship, painting on canvases. A shark leaps to steal the portrait the wolf has drawn of it, activating the plot, which involves five competitive, artistic cats, who fire their vessel’s cannon, as well as a shipwreck, flying creatures, a fiery encounter with a dragon regarding an impromptu mural, a princess in a hanbok, and a climactic battle. Many of the remarks and asides deal with the nature of art: what can be seen, what role identity plays, if serious art is superior or some subjects are unworthy, the role of permission in creating art, and whether some artists can be considered failures. McCarty pulls some lines from children’s books and popular culture, includingThe Runaway Bunny andStar Wars. This utterly original book respects its readers, asking them to display patience, have comfort with ambiguity and rereading, and exercise the ability to construct meaning.

Striking and provocative.(Illustrated fiction. 10-adult)

Kirkus Reviews