Lobos: A Wolf Family Returns to the Wild

by Brenda Peterson, Annie Marie Musselman (Photographer)

Overview

This is a hopeful conservation story about an endangered family of Mexican gray wolves who live in a sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest and their journey that leads to their successful release to the wild in Mexico.

This nonfiction story, illustrated with color photography, follows the lives of a Mexican gray wolf family, known as lobos, with pups born at a sanctuary in Washington State near Mount Rainier, to their release into the wild in Mexico. Through this hopeful and engaging story of conservation, kids learn about wolves—their characteristics and behavior—and the challenge of reintroducing an endangered species to the wild.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781632170842
Publisher:	Blue Star Press
Publication date:	08/21/2018
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

BRENDA PETERSON, a novelist, memoirist, and nature writer, is the author of 17 books including Living by Water, I Want to Be Left Behind, and Your Life is a Book. She has written about wolves for the Huffington Post.

ANNIE MARIE MUSSELMAN is a fine-art photographer whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, National Geographic, Audubon, the Wall Street Journal, Orion, the New York Times, and Outside, among other publications.

Editorial Reviews

09/03/2018
Musselman’s striking photographs chronicle the journey that one family of Mexican gray wolves, lobos, takes from a sanctuary in Washington State to their eventual release into the Mexican wilderness. In informed, descriptive prose, Peterson writes about how hunting brought the species to the brink of extinction and details animal biologists’ systematic efforts to reintroduce them to Mexico. The voyage is a dangerous one: “At the airport cargo dock, the lobo family is loaded as baggage. No tranquilizers. It’s too risky. The wolves must stay wide-awake so they don’t get airsick and choke.” In New Mexico, the wolves are taken one step closer to the wilderness in a large habitat overseen by scientists—and it’s discovered that Mother Wolf is again pregnant. Finally, the wolves are all released into their new home. Peterson offers an uplifting story of wildlife conservation efforts in action. Back matter includes additional information about the family, a map of Mexican gray wolf territory, and wolf facts. Ages 5–9. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Appealing photographs will inspire even fledgling readers to attempt this well-designed story of environmental good news." —Kirkus Reviews

"A fine addition to nonfiction collections and classroom ­libraries." —School Library Journal

 "With easy to read text and heart-warming pictures, young people will enjoy learning about wolves and the challenge of reintroducing an endangered species to the wild." —Wolf Tracks Magazine

"Musselman’s striking photographs chronicle the journey that one family of Mexican gray wolves, lobos, takes from a sanctuary in Washington State to their eventual release into the Mexican wilderness." —Publishers Weekly

 

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
K-Gr 3—This title chronicles the journey of a family of endangered lobos, aka Mexican gray wolves, from the birth of a new litter to the family's release into the wild. The story begins with the pups' births at Wolf Haven International, a sanctuary in Washington state. Peterson provides a bit of background on the sanctuary's mission to rescue and rehabilitate lobos so they can once again thrive in Mexico and the U.S. southwest. Though readers learn about the many challenges for survival Mexican gray wolves face, the narrative is gentle and includes moments of joy. ("The pups romp and run with Father Wolf, who teaches his pups how to howl together. Haunting harmonies. Wolf music!") Musselman's large clear photographs capture this energetic family up close. The book is well designed and would work well as a group read. Back matter includes additional information and a map titled, "Historic Range of the Mexican Gray Wolf." A time line of the wolf family featured in this title is also available. A small critique of the text is that it does not fully explain why it is important to protect endangered species; however, most kids will be inspired to learn more after reading. VERDICT A fine addition to nonfiction collections and classroom libraries.—Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

School Library Journal

2018-05-14
A family of Mexican gray wolves, the lobos of the title, born in captivity, are successfully returned to the wild. Adapted from an essay in Wolf Haven: Sanctuary and the Future of Wolves in North America (2016), a book of striking photographs for adults, this stand-alone title shows and tells the story of a family, beginning with a pair of parents, "Mother and Father Wolf" and their newborn pups. After a year of growth, the family is transported from their supervised sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest to a ranch in southern New Mexico. There, to everyone's surprise, the mother gives birth to another litter. These wolves learn to hunt for themselves and are ultimately transported again, this time across the border to be set free in the Mexican wilderness, to augment an endangered population near extinction. Appealing photographs will inspire even fledgling readers to attempt this well-designed story of environmental good news. Each spread includes a full-bleed image or set of images and, usually, a vignette. Though set legibly in short lines, the poetic text includes some challenging vocabulary. Pictures of human interactions are explained in the text, but the wolf pictures have no labels and are not always of the family described, hence the backmatter note, "based on the true story." The backmatter also provides further information, a timeline, and resources.An up-close look at species reintroduction for readers not quite ready for Jean Craighead George's The Wolves are Back (illustrated by Wendell Minor, 2008). (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews