"The older wolves come loping,
gather pups up in their mouths,
and take them far from danger,
higher up and further south."
In opening images, Mama Wolf makes her way under a full-moon sky in search of a place to birth her five healthy pups. She cares for them as best she can, with the rest of the pack watching over her. The pups begin exploring and Mama keeps them close. When a sudden storm and rising waters threaten the den, something must be done!
The older wolves help to carry the pups (in their mouths) to higher ground where they will be safe. They continue to grow, taking note of the moon's ever-changing face until it is completely gone. Then, unfamiliar nighttime noises evoke howling and barking throughout the dark night. Soon, they grow braver as they explore their world and find delight in their many discoveries.
As happens, time passes quickly, they grow and flourish, and life has much to offer.
"Each night brings new surprises -
a wrestle or a roar,
a bit of meat from Mama,
and moonlight more and more."
Together, they await the rise of a full moon.
The life cycle of the wolf is presented in conjunction with one lunar cycle. In rhyming text, young readers will see the pups grow and change as the moon does the same. Warm, moonlit artwork provide background for the birth and growth of the pups under the careful attention from the rest of the pack. There will be many more of those moons before the pups are grown.
An author's note explains that Ms. Scanlon grew up in the Rocky Mountains where wolves were once plentiful. Human development changed that. Close to extinction, it took hard work from many scientists as well as government protection, to help their numbers improve. She has based the wolves in her story on gray wolves living near Yellowstone National Park. She also includes a note about a wolf's life cycle, the phases of the moon, and a selected bibliography with a list of internet sources.
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