“Beautifully illustrated, this book shows the lingering effects and the impact that animals a the top of the food chain have on the environment….See also Jean Craighead George’s The Wolves Are Back (2008).”
Read the full review on page 11 of the April 2018 issue of Book Links
“In words and pictures, Celia Godkin documents the positive effects of the introduction of this predator on the entire ecosystem including, surprisingly, the elk population. By demonstrating the complexity of seemingly simple problems and apparently simple solutions, this clear explanation of cause and effect relationships will encourage its 6-to-9 year old audience to think critically about humanity’s interventions in the environment.”
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“With an engaging, accessible text and expressive mixed-media illustrations, Godkin tells the environmental success story of the reintroduction of the grey wolf to Yellowstone National Park….An endnote, ‘The Wolf in North America,’ provides history of the wolf and a map of the pre-European and current North American wolf range.”
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“The Wolves Return is the true story of the successful release of twenty-three Canadian gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park in 1995-96….The Wolves Return explains in picture and in narrative how the reintroduction of the wolves, a natural predator of the elk, impacted positively on the whole environment….The Wolves Return ends with a map of North America with wolf ranges, both current and pre-European habitat patterns. It is clear that wolves play a vital role in maintaining the health, variety, and balance of many life systems and plant and animal species in nature. The mixed media art work in The Wolves Return is especially sensitively done and greatly enhances the exciting environmental health restoration true story.”
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“Celia Godkin relays the awe-inspiring true story of the release of 23 Canadian gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park in 1995 and 1996….
Since the time of the release, the wolves thrived and the process created beneficial changes to the park’s ecosystem….
The illustrations are beautifully done in pencil crayon and watercolour….[Godkin’s] telling of this true environmental success story is well told and inspirational. It is important to relay such stories. The end of the book has the fascinating history of the wolf in North America with a map.
Thematic Links: Wolves; Yellowstone National Park; Yellowstone Wolf Project; Gray Wolves; Ecosystem”
—Isobel Lang
Read the full review on page 20 of the April 2017 issue of Resource Links
“The Wolves Return, A New Beginning for Yellowstone National Park by Celia Godkin is a beautiful book…It was fascinating to read about how much the area changed, both in diversity of the creatures…to the health of the animals that always lived there.”
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“…Tranquil wildlife scenes in soft, naturalistic colors are full of meticulous details and capture the majestic beauty of the iconic park, which teems with life. The clear, matter-of-fact text is a lovely complement to the warm scenes, which include vistas, underwater habitats, and close-ups. Additional information about the history of the park and the importance of the wolves to the ecosystem closes this lovingly illustrated, educational volume.”
—Anita Lock
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“We are always amazed at how much we learn from children’s non-fiction books. This one is an educational and excellent portrayal of the value of wolves in maintaining a healthy wildlife and ecosystem.
Our Review:
Reviewed by Sandra Olshaski
Who couldn’t love this book about the value of wolves? From the pencil crayon and watercolour illustrations to the beautiful text, it’s an amazing book for both adults and children. It highlights how very important are all creatures and how one animal alone contributes to a thriving natural world….
The colourful illustrations will certainly appeal to children, especially those who are already animal lovers. I appreciate the information pages regarding the history of wolves in North America. I can’t say enough about this beautiful book that contains such important life lessons. I highly recommend it.
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani and Son
It’s a sad reality that most city children have never seen live wild animals (except perhaps at the zoo) or know much about them. Both my son and I were surprised by how much we enjoyed and learned from reading this book. With clear informative text and beautiful illustrations, the author has succeeded in teaching us that large predators play a vital role in the health of the ecosystems where they live….
Children who are animal lovers will especially enjoy the depictions of the various animals…My son and I enjoyed this book and we especially liked that on the front and back inside covers are the names and illustrations of all the plants and animals in the book.
This book should be included in all school libraries and can be used when teaching science and nature in elementary schools. An excellent addition to a home library too.”
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“I know a science teacher whose go-to book to introduce interrelationships of living things and the balance of natural ecosystems is Celia Godkin’s award-winning book Wolf Island (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1989/2006). I encourage a new generation of science teachers to look to her new book The Wolves Return to demonstrate those same concepts as they relate to the wolves of Yellowstone National Park and spark a new appreciation for the natural world with an aim to stewardship and not manipulation.
…The Wolves Return documents in prose and detailed illustrations the impacts of the Yellowstone Wolf Project on the local habitats and wildlife, celebrating the success of reintroducing the wolves here.
But the way Celia Godkin tells the story is not to just lay out that bare facts as many unseasoned writers might but instead to provide visual commentary, in words and pictures, of what would have been happening….
Celia Godkin illustrates the complex and sophisticated food webs–not just food chains–and evolving landscape of habitats but punctuates the story with the science of the return of the wolves in her appendices.
The scientist in Celia Godkin–she has a Master’s degree in zoology–comes through in the precision of her illustrations but her coloured pencil and watercolour fine art is more expressive than just a record of the living ecosystem. She gives life to the organisms and places within The Wolves Return, though I know that young readers will be amazed by her detailed and accurate depictions of the animals.
Just like Wolf Island, The Wolves Return should become a teacher’s primary picture book for introducing discussions about habitats and communities, the diversity of living things and interactions with ecosystems. With The Wolves Return, Celia Godkin is able to inform, fascinate and initiate dialogue about the world we impact in both negative and positive ways and how it can gloriously amend itself sometimes with just a tiny bit of help.”
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“…Due to the hard work and dedication of various scientists and organizations, wolves have returned to Yellowstone National Park. Godkin documents the changes that have come about because of that act….My favorite aspect of the book though are the beautiful illustrations that give the reader a peek into the natural world of the wolf. The additional information and photographs at the end of the book are certainly a great boon for teachers and other users who want to know more about the topic.”
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