Product Description

For our 40th anniversary Fitzhenry & Whiteside is issuing a newly designed edition of this classic bestseller!

Information Book of the Year

Mr. Christie's Book Award nominee

Shortlisted for 1989 Mr. Christie's Children's Book Award for illustration Children's Literature

Roundtable of Canada 1990 Information Book of the Year

With a new cover and newly designed interiors, Wolf Island is sure to be a howl! It's a vivid, full colour portrait of nature, and the fragile balance of a natural ecosystem.

Set on an island in Northern Ontario, the Wolf Island story, based on an actual event, is a moving chronicle of what happens when the highest link in a food chain is removed. The resultant population growth, food shortage, and starvation affect every member of the chain.

A family of wolves leave their island environment. Although, at first, their absence is unnoticed, nature's delicately balanced ecosystem comes undone over a period of months, and the mice, rabbits, squirrels, and even owls fight for survival. Finally, the accidental return of the wolf family to their home restores the island habitat to health.

Celia Godkin's dramatic, full colour illustrations will inspire readers of all ages. Her scientific portrait of an ecosystem and its component species will not be easily forgotten.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #643951 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-27
• Released on: 2006-11-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781554550081
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 1–4—Although the text remains unchanged from the 1993 edition (Freeman), larger page size and improved formatting make the story easier to share with groups. Instead of fading into the illustrations, the text blocks are highlighted and framed. The pictures themselves are brighter and more sharply focused versions of the originals. Pages are fewer in number, necessitating some shifts of text and the elimination of a few images. Overall, the revisions add to the book's visual appeal. The story follows changes that occur on an island after the departure of a family of wolves to the mainland. Without predators, the deer population swells. The deer eat so much vegetation that rabbits and mice have fewer babies, resulting in less food for foxes and owls. After the wolves return in winter by crossing the ice, the relationships among the various species begin to be restored. Godkin's simple example of how easily the natural balance can be upset should help foster ecological awareness. Libraries without the original book should definitely consider purchasing this one, and collections with an older copy may want to substitute this more readable version.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
The food chain, especially its harsher aspects, can be difficult to explain to young children, but this gentle narrative conveys the realism without mawkish sentimentality. Based on an actual event, this account tracks a family of Canadian wolves living on an island. Discovering a raft that washed ashore, the wolf pups climb aboard. When the raft suddenly begins to drift toward the mainland, the surprised pups' cries bring the parents to the raft, and together the family floats away from its home.^B The wolves' absence from the island causes the deer to multiply, which affects the food chain and endangers other island species. The habitat is only restored by the accidental return of the wolves. With a large format, arresting cover, and beautiful soft-edged illustrations, this presentation offers an effective balance between a documentary and a nature story. Julie Cummins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Rarely has the working of an ecosystem been demonstrated in such a straightforward and dramatic way. Young children will be able to understand the story, and older children will find much to think about and discuss. Celia Godkin does not waste a word and her lovely full-colour illustrations make this a memorable book, which should be in every school and public library."
-- Canadian Materials

"Although the text remains unchanged from the 1993 edition (Freeman), larger page size and improved formatting make the story easier to share with groups. Instead of fading into the illustrations, the text blocks are highlighted and framed. The pictures themselves are brighter and more sharply focused versions of the originals. Pages are fewer in number, necessitating some shifts of text and the elimination of a few images. Overall, the revisions add to the books visual appeal. . . Libraries without the original book should definitely consider purchasing this one, and collections with an older copy may want to substitute this more readable version."
-- School Library Journal

Customer Reviews

Best book out there on the role of predators in an ecosystem
This is a simple retelling of the story of Isle Royal, an island that was brought back into ecological balance when a wolf pack crossed over an ice bridge to the island. Before that time the vegetation was being denuded by moose, and the moose herd was suffering. The island was the living laboratory for some of the classic research on the relationship between predators and their prey, and the role of predators in an ecosystem. It also relates to another classic essay by Aldo Leopold, called "Thinking Like A Mountain." again, about wolves and their relationship to their prey and to the ecosystem as a whole. These concepts are important to teach young children, but the research and essay above would be hard for young kids to understand. This book serves as an excellent introduction to the topic. There are few books out there that tackle this important subject, this book fills the niche.

True Story! Importance of Diversity/Balance within an Ecosystem
As an elementary classroom teacher for many years, I have used this book in various grade levels to reinforce the need for balance of predator/prey within an ecoystem, and the impact on the ecosystem when one piece is removed. It gets even better when that piece is restored, and the ecosystem begins to recover. A related book, using a kelp ecosystem is Sea Otter Inlet, also by Celia Godkin.

One of the best!!!!!
As a teacher who enjoys combining literature and science, this is one of my favorite books to read to children.

Everything on the island appears to be in balance until the wolf cubs discover a raft on the beach. As they explore, the raft drifts off and their parents are forced to follow. With the wolves gone there are now no natural predators to keep down the deer population, which threatens the whole island ecosystem. Can life on the island ever be the same?

This short story is beautifully written and illustrated by Celia Godkin.