Watch Wolf (Wolves of the Beyond Series #3)

by Kathryn Lasky

Overview

A wolf's eye view of the legends of Ga'Hoole in this stirring third installment of the Wolves of Beyond series by bestselling author Kathryn Lasky.

Born with a twisted paw, Faolan was abandoned as a wolf pup and left to die. But not only did he survive and make it back to the wolf clan, he proved himself to be one of the most worthy wolves of all.

But just as Faolan is about to take his place as one of the revered Wolves of the Watch, a fellow watch wolf goes missing. Faolan is sent to track her down and makes a horrifying discovery - she has been kidnapped by bears. A war is coming between the wolves and the bears, and only Faolan can stop it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545093156
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/01/2012
Series:	Wolves of the Beyond Series , #3
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	63,777
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kathryn Lasky is the Newbery Honor-winning author of over one hundred books for children and young adults. Her beloved Guardians of Ga’Hoole fantasy series has sold more than 4 million copies, and she is the author of the Daughters of the Sea series, the Wolves of the Beyond series, as well as A TIME FOR COURAGE and other Dear America titles. Kathryn has also written a number of critically acclaimed nonfiction titles, such as BEYOND THE BURNING TIME and TRUE NORTH. She lives with her husband in Cambridge, MA.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the first book in the Wolves of the Beyond series.

"This is a soulful, searching read consumed with the spiritual journeys of animals and the ethereal connection between slayer and slain. [W]ith an invigorating ending that bodes well for the next volume." - Booklist

"The author builds a captivating world of forest, snow and volcanoes populated by intelligent animals and weaves a compelling story sure to bring readers back for the second installment." - Kirkus

From the Publisher

Faolan and Edme are young wolves entering the world with handicaps. Faolan has a twisted paw and Edme has only one eye. As per wolf clan tradition they are abandoned to die. Faolan is adopted by a mother grizzly bear that raises him until her death. Edme finds her way back to her clan, the Macheaths. The young wolves compete and get accepted into the highly respected "Wolves of the Watch." Before they take their place at the ring of sacred volcanoes they must return to their tummfraw, or place of abandonment. On their journey Edme befriends a young grizzly cub named Toby, not knowing that it is forbidden to get near a bear's cubs. Learning of this mistake, the Macheaths come up with a plan to start a war between the wolves and the bears by kidnapping young Toby. Faolan and Edme must rescue Toby before the war begins destroying the Beyond forever. Many sub-stories exist: female wolves that leave their clan because of abuse, jealous wolves that plot out Edme's demise, as well as Faolan's friendship with Gwynneth, one of the Ga'hoole's owls. Third in the "Wolves of the Beyond" series, it gives a nod to the Guardians of Ga'Hoole books, also written by Lasky. I appreciated the anthropomorphic storyline but was very uncomfortable with the inner subject matter of women and child abuse, kidnapping, and overall cruelty. I would suggest the reader be closer to tween age and older due to subject matter. They may be wolves and bears but I found it impossible to distance myself from their many hardships.

Children's Literature - Toni Jourdan

Readers who appreciate anthropomorphic (talking animal) sagas—and devoured the Guardians of Ga'hoole books—will love this third tale about Faolan, a young wolf who was abandoned at birth because of a splayed paw, but raised by a motherless grizzly. In Watch Wolf, Faolan has worked his way up to joining the wolves of the watch at the ring of sacred volcanoes. But first he must journey to his tummfraw, the place of his abandonment, to make (or find?) peace. If Joseph Campbell had outlined Faolan's journey, he couldn't have done a better job; the wolf's journey is a true quest in the classical sense, and the young wolf a true hero. Joining him is a smaller female wolf, Edme, who must branch off on her own tummfraw. All goes fairly well, and they begin their training as watch wolves, even renewing Faolan's friendship with one of Ga'hoole's owls, Gwynneth. But there is a traitorous wolf leader in Ga'hoole, brutal Dunbar Macheath, who plans to kidnap a bear cub and end the harmony between wolves and grizzlies. It is up to Faolan and Edme to prevent a catastrophic war. Lasky, a gifted and prolific writer, has done her homework, incorporating wolf, grizzly, etc. behavior into this compelling tale. Her animal characters range from brave Faolan and Edme to vicious Dunbar, to winsome Toby, the grizzly cub, to a comic relief magpie in the role of traveling salesman. Especially intriguing are two story elements. First is the single mention of humankind: "others," who walked on two legs and have been gone for thousands of years. Second is Faolan's mysterious inner knowledge that he has never been taught. This page-turner should appeal to even reluctant readers. Reviewer: Judy Crowder

Children's Literature - Judy Crowder