A Wolf Called Wander

Born into the darkness of his den, the wolf pup Swift first understands the world through smell. One of five cubs, he is named for his eagerness to explore, and the swiftness of his development and movement. Soon initiated into the life of the pack, he comes to love everything about his home in the mountains. But when his family is attacked and scattered by a rival pack of wolves intent on securing the mountain for their own, Swift finds himself embarking on an epic journey, and struggling to survive as he moves from place to place in search of a new home and a new family. But will this wandering wolf ever find what he seeks...?

Beautifully written, with moments of both humor and pathos, A Wolf Called Wander was inspired by the story of show more a real wolf - OR-7 - who lived in Oregon's Wallowa Mountains and was tagged by biologists. In 2011 they tracked his 1000-mile journey to find a new pack. This was my first book from Rosanne Parry, an author living in Oregon, and I really enjoyed her writing. The exchanges between Swift and his father were quite humorous, and the relationship between Swift and Warm charming. Warm's death midway through the book was absolutely heartbreaking. I appreciated the fact that Parry didn't sugarcoat what life in the wild is like - as Swift learns, everything either eats or is eaten, at some point - but that she also captured the beauty of nature and the occasional possibilities of coexistence and help, between species. This latter was evident in Swift's relationship with his raven, and in the moment when he warns a horse herd of an imminent cougar attack. I enjoy animal fiction that manages to convince me it is from the animal's own realistic perspective, and this definitely fit the bill. It also had lovely artwork from Mónica Armiño. A delightful book, engaging and poignant, this is one I would recommend to young animal lovers, with the proviso that they be aware that there are some disturbing scenes. show less

"One kick from him, and I might never walk again, I want no quarrel with him."

A Wolf Called Wander is about a wolf in real life that managed to live to ten so far. It's more the embellishment of telling the journey through his eyes. With many terms like "Mine!" and 'sitting on a wag' it's colourful. Terms like wet-mark, sniff-walk-run, and so on make it clear this is an animal's world and not a human's.

Wander, born Swift, is a bit of a bratty child, harmless, not the alpha nor the weakest pup. All his siblings are charming and varied, and his jealousy and empathy charming. When his life gets turned inside out and gutted, this book shows how hard being a lone wolf can be, even with company.

A good read, great for kids and wolf lovers, show more definitely worth keeping on one's shelf. Wander is harmless fun with some darker aspects of real life thrown in. show less

Middle Reader - beautiful fictionalized story of a real wolf tagged as OR-7, and nicknamed Journey who traveled over 1000 miles through OR to the Cascade Mtns in CA after its pack was attacked and killed by another group of wolves. Somewhat anthropomorphized in attributing thoughts and feelings to the wolf, but the narration is through the eyes of Swift (later Wander) and is conveyed through scents and sounds as it gains understanding of its growing world after it flees its original territory. The sense of loneliness is most believable since the creatures are pack animals. Also believable is the interference and threat of humans as they encroach on land and rely on guns. The rhythms of nature were very comforting in this simple story as show more were the lovely illustrations rendered in black and white watercolor by Monica Armino. Just the right amount of distraction and escape - and the reminder there are forces greater than us at work in the world. Nice section at the end about the story’s origin and naturalist info about the region and its creatures. show less

I generally don't like books with animal narrators so I picked one that is aimed at middle graders and it was excellent. It's based on a real wolf who lost his pack and traveled 1000 miles through Oregon and finally found a mate. It delivers a whole range of emotions from joy to sadness, but ultimately it's a story of perseverance

I purchased this book because I love the author and wolves. Parry writes well through the eyes of the wolf, which isn't easy. A great story for calling attention to the mistreatment of wolves and habitat, and to show how family-oriented they are. Lots of factual back matter: The Real Wolf Behind the Story; a map of OR-7's Journey; About Wolves; The Habitats of the Pacific Northwest; Author's Note; Resources for Young Readers; General Resources.

I highly recommend A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry. I found this story to be incredibly engaging—I couldn’t put the book down! The journey of Swift, a young wolf searching for a new home, was both emotional and exciting. The first-person point of view really helped me connect with the character, and the realistic setting made the adventure feel powerful and true to nature. It’s a great read for anyone who loves animals, survival stories, or beautifully written books.

I love Rosanne Parry's books. Whale of the Wild is still one of the first books I recommend to middle grade readers and A Wolf Called Wander will now join it's ranks. I love that Rosanne bases these books on real animals and I love learning about the real animal at the end of the book. Looking forward to reading more books from Rosanne Parry in the future.