Saturday 16 January 2010

YA Review: Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

Julie of the Wolves (rack)Book Description: To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness.
Without food and time running out, Miyax tries to survive by copying the ways of a pack of wolves. Accepted by their leader and befriended by a feisty pup named Kapu, she soon grows to love her new wolf family. Life in the wilderness is a struggle, but when she finds her way back to civilization, Miyax is torn between her old a new lives. Is she Miyax of the Eskimos -- or Julie of the wolves?


My first thoughts: When my friend's daughter handed me this book and said, 'You should read this, you'll love it,' I  politely smiled, took the book and thought I would pretend to read it. However, I soon realized it was a short book, with pictures, and finished it before I really started. George's descriptions are amazing and because I've experienced cold (in Canada) and because I've been to both Alaska and the NWT (North West Territories) where I've seen the Northern Lights and where windows were covered in tin foil so that we could sleep in the 24 hour sun, I related to the story.



What did I like about it?
1) Her understanding of animal behavior.
2) Her understanding of the Arctic.
3) And her understandng of human nature.

I was happy at the end, it had a realistic ending rather than a happy one.

My Rating: (5 out of 5)

7 comments:

TirzahLaughs said...

I think that this book would also play to kids in divorced or split homes. That feeling of being pulled in two directions at once, to being two things at once.

It stands as a wilderness novel/coming of age novel but I think it plays to a larger group as well.

Ann Elle Altman said...

Yes, yes it does. I'm surprised that YA novels can be so powerful. How soon I forget what I read when I was young.

ann

Emma Michaels said...

great review! Next time I need a quick read I will definitely try this one.

Anonymous said...

Oooh, I'll have to check this out. 5 stars is saying something. :)

Adding it to Goodreads...

Corra

from the desk of a writer

Ann Elle Altman said...

Corra, just remember, it's a YA book, meant for those around the age of 12.

Emma, thanks so much for commenting.

ann

Bisi Adjapon said...

It must be a good book. I'll check it out.

Anonymous said...

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