DEEP IN THE Minnesota forest, where only the strong survive, four regular-sized pups—Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker—are pushed into the world. Then one last, very small pup is born into the wolf pack. He is called Runt.
From the very start, Runt struggles in the harsh wild world of the wolves. He tries learning along with his brothers and sisters, but makes serious mistakes. It’s hard pleasing his father, King, and the other wolves. If only Runt could prove himself to his powerful father and family. . . .
“With an economy of words, Bauer precisely and vividly conveys the wolves’ wild world. . . . There’s a ready-made audience for this.”—Booklist, Starred
“Beautifully written and faithful to wolves’ behavior (explained in an afterword). . . . Bauer portrays the wolves’ place in the natural world with compassion, respect, and warmth, but this is also the story of any unique individual’s struggle to find his or her niche.”—School Library Journal
Runt ANNOTATION Runt, the smallest wolf cub in the litter, seeks to prove himself to his father King and the rest of the pack and to earn a new name.
FROM THE PUBLISHER In this beautifully written story set in the north woods of Minnesota, four healthy wolf pups—Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker—are born one spring. And then one final, undersized pup emerges—Runt. Despite his size, Runt manages to keep up with his brothers and sisters and learn the ways of the pack. But he finds it impossible to please his father, the pack's leader, and gradually withdraws from the others. When he ventures into forbidden human territory, Runt at last comes to understand his mistakes and to recognize his own worth. Award-winning author Marion Dane Bauer combines her gift for evocative writing with her in-depth knowledge of wolves to create a compact tale that has the power of an epic. Like the best animal stories, it reflects our own world and shows us what it means to be alive. Afterword. FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly Runt, the diminutive last-born of a litter of pups, hopes to prove his worth to his father and acquire a nobler name in what PW called a "tightly plotted, swiftly paced tale of a wolf pack." Ages 9-12. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
"Bauer precisely, vividly conveys the wolves’ wild world. Her passion for the animals is evident throughout this compelling, poignant story." School Library Journal Gr 4-6-Runt is the smallest in a litter of wolves born in the forests of northern Minnesota. The pups join their father, mother, and two yearlings in a pack that is completed by Bider, an adult male accepted into the group after he was forced out of another one. Each littermate seems to have a destined role, but for Runt the future is an unknown. He tries mightily to keep up with his siblings, but much of the time he tries too hard, doesn't think ahead, or makes mistakes. An encounter with a porcupine lands him among humans and proves fatal to one of his brothers. Sensing the pack's disappointment, Runt withdraws, looking for a chance to earn his father's approval. Throughout, Bider is watching, waiting for his chance to cause discord and disruption in the pack. When this occurs, it also provides an opportunity for Runt to rejoin his family. Beautifully written and faithful to wolves' behavior (explained in an afterword), this book will be a good companion to Jean Craighead George's "Julie of the Wolves" series (HarperCollins). Bauer portrays the wolves' place in the natural world with compassion, respect, and warmth, but this is also the story of any unique individual's struggle to find his or her niche.-Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews Runt is the name given to the smallest and last-born pup in the litter by King, his father. Although treated kindly by his family and the rest of the pack, Runt constantly feels the need to prove himself. His sisters and brothers are each named for a particular skill or attribute, like Hunter, Helper, and Sniffer. Runt doesn't seem able to measure up and worries that he will always be an outsider, tolerated but not needed. He experiences uncertainty and pain and loss as the pack strives for survival. Although it does not seem to be Bauer's intention, these very human emotions are the most successful element of the work. The plot is overly contrived, setting up a neat lesson about the habits and needs of wolves, including hunting practices and dangers, fighting for the position of pack leader, and relationships to humans and other creatures. In an afterword, the author provides much additional information about wolves and their habits and strongly indicates that her sole purpose in creating Runt's story is to enhance readers' empathy for these endangered creatures. She also includes a bibliography that will lead readers to accurate information about wolves as well as fictional works that succeed far better than this one. (Fiction. 8-10)
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