Rachel Bright and Jim Field have successfully worked on many picture books. Together though this author and illustrator team are fantastic and the creators of award winning books The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could. Recently their book The Squirrels Who Squabbled has been shortlisted for the Laugh out Loud Awards and is another great read to track down should you not have had the pleasure of reading such a giggly book.
This month their latest picture book has been published by Orchard Books who are an imprint of Hachette Children’s Group. The Way Home For Wolf is a wonderful read and I am delighted to be talking about it here on my blog.
The book is set within the most beautiful arctic scenes with the Northern Lights overhead and it is here that we are introduced to Wilf, a wolf cub. Like many young children he wants to prove his independence and longs to be grown up like everyone around him. He believes he can lead the group on finding a new cave but this is laughed off by the older wolves and they declare “its an elder we need.”
The wolves walk though heavy snow and icy banks and as the journey progresses the weather conditions worsen. Wilf tries to keep up but the older wolves are stronger and fast paced and poor Wilf finds it tricky to keep up. He doesn’t ask for help and eventually is separated from the pack and gets caught in a blizzard.
Wilf is all alone and he can’t bring himself to ask for help. He lies down on ice but this shatters beneath him and this leads to a truly magical moment where Wilf meets a sea unicorn. His meeting with the narwhal is the start of a chain of events that lead Wilf to meeting interesting artic animals who have his best interests at heart and want to help this little wolf cub.
You’ll be pleased to know that the book ends happily and Wilf learns so much. Though he was keen to lead the pack, Wilf getting lost results in new friendships being made. He witnesses a team of animals cooperating well with each other, big and small.
Though it can be fun to lead it is something that comes with time and Rachel Bright has created a brilliant story with a touch of magic that shares this. The book shows that asking for help is no way a weakness and that taking guidance from others can be a good thing.
I am sure you will agree the illustrations are utterly gorgeous and they get better and better at every turn of page. Jim Field illustrates the scenes so wonderfully and his work is so emotive. I adore the contrast of snowy scenes and night time scenes capturing magical lights in the sky. Together with Rachel Bright’s rhyming text this is a lovely read and we highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received this book from the publishers. All words and opinions are entirely my own.