Warm is the smallest pup in the litter, but he is also the most observant. He watches. He watches his stronger and faster litter mates vie for a place in the pack while he is content to stay with the delta wolves who teach and care for the youngsters. Warm learns to listen and to smell while observing the happenings around him. Warm eventually becomes the encourager and the heart of the pack even as his siblings seem to outgrow him. But Warm is content not to be the next alpha male and starts to care for the newest litter once those pups arrive. And it is when the pack is attacked by the more aggressive “ice wolf” pack that Warm proves his loyalty to his family by heeding his mother’s directive and leading the newest litter away from the fray. Once safe from the conflict, however, Warm is confronted with not only the loss of his wolf family, but also the responsibility of taking care of and teaching the newest members of his pack. A Wolf Called Fire is the story of Warm and his rise to leadership. Based on one of the wolves in Yellowstone, readers will be captivated by the life of Warm and how he earns the name Fire.
The fourth book in A Voice of the Wilderness series, this narrative can be read alongside A Wolf Called Wander (Parry, 2019) if wolves are of special interest, or as part of the entire series, which includes A Whale of the Wild (Parry, 2020) and A Horse Named Sky (Parry, 2023). All have historical and narrative attributes worthy of reading. What is especially engaging in this novel is the “year of a wolf” story that gives readers an idea of how wolf packs operate and how the first year can be particularly dangerous for young wolves. The illustrations flesh out the read and can engage readers of all levels in the storyline.
This is an intriguing read that highlights the precarious nature of wolf packs in North America. It allows for a better understanding of how life in the wild is part of the ecosystem of Canada and the United States, and how humans can be more cognizant and connected to that ecosystem. While some would suggest that the anthropomorphism within the book is problematic, a burgeoning understanding of the wild might need to include such characterizations of non-human animals to build empathy for and connection to them.
Finally, the book creates opportunities for readers to consider how all non-human animals, but especially wolves, have been misunderstood for far too long and what might be done to remedy that gap. Readers can begin to embrace the wonder of wild places and the beauty of the surrounding natural environment while granting validity and dignity to the non-human animals that inhabit those spaces.–Recommended by Holly Johnson, Emeritus Professor, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Title: A Wolf Called Fire
Author: Rosanne Parry
Illustrator: Mónica Armiño
ISBN: 9780063415133
PubDate: February 4, 2025
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
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- Themes: Holly Johnson, Mónica Armiño, Rosanne Parry, Wolf Called Fire
- Descriptors: WOW Recommends