Julie of the Wolves

Posted by Sheila in DogEared on March 10, 2010
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BOOK NAME: Julie of the Wolves
AUTHOR: Jean Craighead George

As the main character, Julie, runs from her past, she comes to find herself living alone in the Alaskan wilderness. Her days are filled just waiting for winter to set in, offering her nothing but its blinding, cold hard months. Through some tragic circumstances, Julie finds herself almost starving to death when she discovers a pack of wolves. She watches them and learns the secret language of these wolves and finally is accepted into the pack by the leader.

As you read, you also learn the secret language of wolves with Julie. This is fascinating because it has even helped me better understand my own dog’s behavior including nipping at the nose and why she pulls her hears back or rolls over.

I loved the crystal clear words the author used to describe the sun, snow and wilderness. She slowly crafted the scene into my mind as I read and I could easily picture myself there. The author explains the story so vividly that even the strongest of heart will feel weepy. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy when you read this one!

I also enjoyed this story because it reminded me of Island of the Blue Dolphins. Like it, this is a survival story which is especially inspiring. I’m anxious to read the book’s sequel to find out what happens next. The ending of this book seems so perfect that I can’t imagine what more could happen. But I’ll let you know soon!

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Categories: Sheila

Comments

  1. jindo2108
    March 10, 2010, 9:55 pm

    I have always considered this book to read. Is it good for dog lovers? I am certainly one of those!
    My main concern is that it will get really sad or something

  2. musemagfan13
    March 11, 2010, 6:10 pm

    …I think I read this. If I did, it was really really good.

    Does that make sense?

  3. MAGGAZ
    March 11, 2010, 8:57 pm

    I love this book, it is another amazing story by Jean Craighead George. She has written several books, including the wonderful series of My Side of the Mountain.

    ~Maggaz

  4. MAGGAZ
    March 11, 2010, 9:00 pm

    jindo2108, it can get sad, but is such a beautiful, sometimes frighteningly realistic story that it overcomes the sad parts.

    ~Maggaz

  5. musicgirl1996
    March 12, 2010, 8:31 pm

    This is a great book. Julie learns to communicate with the wolves by “tail” movements and ear movements. In a sense, she becomes one of the pack.

  6. 2whitie
    March 13, 2010, 7:42 pm

    This sounds really good and i am going to buy ahuge shipment of books soon, and i think iwill buy this one. By the way, MAGGAZ, you need to tell me if anyone dies. In all the classics and the caldecott medals somebody dies.

  7. Emma
    March 14, 2010, 5:49 am

    Wow. I love wolves. They are like totally my kind of creatures!

  8. susie
    March 15, 2010, 7:35 pm

    musemagfan13: LOL remembor next time!!! :P

  9. jindo2108
    March 16, 2010, 9:16 pm

    I am right with you, 2white. I’m torn.It feels like I want to read the book, but I don’t want to cry a ton.
    I don’t think I’ll read it just because I am such a doglover and I can’t handle sad books about animals!
    Oh, I don’t know!

    -jindo2108

  10. iluvcookie
    March 18, 2010, 3:13 pm

    i go with wat u said jindo2108

  11. Anonymous
    March 19, 2010, 12:04 am

    “Julie of the Wolves” is an excellent book, not worth shunning because of the sadness presented by death. The prose, poetry and songs flow together in Jean Craighead George’s clear style of storytelling. She keeps you captivated not only by the story but the her accurate depiction of the harsh but ruggedly beautiful setting that Miyax struggles in. Each main character is made personal by their own detailed and well-depicted description. My Mother read this book to my brother and I when we were little. This story, however, addresses some marriage problems that Julie experiences with her fiance Daniel and so should be read to kids who can understand that, or it should be skipped over.
    This story does have a kind of sadness to it that in the end makes the story all the more eloquently put together. When sadness is generated because of a death you realize just how important the wilderness has become to Miyax, and the end is bittersweet in the kind of way that ought to end a book of this genre.

  12. dominion of spork
    March 19, 2010, 5:17 pm

    i just started reading this book and it is really good.if u read island of the blue dolphins you would really like this book

  13. CherylByrel:D
    March 21, 2010, 5:05 am

    well,if you dont wanna cry,you dont like books.only really gd books can make you cry.This sounds awesome!i wld love to read this!i read a book a bit similar,and i think u’ll enjoy this if u like julie of the wolves.Dogsong by Gary Paulson

  14. cowgirlexplorer221
    March 22, 2010, 8:08 pm

    i wanna read this book but its gonna make me cry.anyways i like it, it sounds interesting
    i aint gonna read it cuz i hate sad stories

  15. jhowington
    March 29, 2010, 4:16 pm

    i just started reading this book this morning so far its the bomb!!!!!!!

  16. nemelum
    April 3, 2010, 4:13 pm

    good but I think if I were you I recommend it to someone who wants to study how wolves talk

  17. esajoker13
    April 14, 2010, 11:35 pm

    Leí este libro una y otra again.Julie de los Lobos es un buen libro y yo soy un experto en las secuelas also.If usted tiene alguna pregunta me acaba de preguntar?(Srry I write in mostly spanish.)

    ~esajoker13

  18. jindo2108
    April 18, 2010, 11:03 pm

    Wow- that’s cool,esajoker13! Wish I could do that!

  19. GeorgeHarrison
    May 27, 2010, 2:46 pm

    I read this when I was too young to, so now as a result I refuse to read it, or even look at the cover directly.

  20. Mclainak
    June 2, 2010, 6:54 pm

    I LUV THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!! MY FAVORITE PART IS WHEN

    JULIE NAMES THE WOLFS.

  21. bluestar1010
    June 7, 2010, 3:13 pm

    I have loved this book

  22. Tori4134
    July 14, 2010, 9:54 pm

    This book is really sad!! Be warned.

  23. liefstoneheart
    July 28, 2010, 10:46 pm

    I am a HUUUUUUGGGGEE wolf fan, so I loved this book. It was beautiful, poetic, and brilliant. THis was a wow.

  24. Fateama
    August 1, 2010, 9:06 am

    Wolves are amazing creatures. I am so sad about what I saw on another blog. 10 wolf pups were killed over a single lamb. 6 adults were killed as well. In another area, two complete packs were wiped out…I don’t know how somebody could do such a thing. It’s like they have hearts of stone.

  25. Galatasaray
    August 10, 2010, 1:22 pm

    A Newberry award indicating that this book is nicely written…. I’ll make sure that I read it.

  26. Cherry
    August 13, 2010, 12:39 pm

    I’m definitely going to read this book.

  27. GylfieTheOwl
    October 19, 2010, 8:58 pm

    i have read my side of the mountain and island of the blue dolphins…And i love wolves! should i read this?

  28. GylfieTheOwl
    October 19, 2010, 9:01 pm

    oh….its SAD???????? no way. i gotta stop crying about books.

  29. Man of the world
    March 22, 2011, 9:57 am

    I have this with me, but I haven’t finished it yet. I’m still trying to do it. Well, let’s see what happens and “which way the wind blows”………

  30. Anonymous
    April 9, 2011, 12:28 am

    I finished it; and it was really great! I didn’t think at first that it would be that great, but later I did!

  31. Anonymous
    October 31, 2012, 2:38 am

    i read this book and it is really good

  32. pielover
    December 29, 2012, 6:31 pm

    This seems like a really good book .That was so cool how she learned the pack of wolves communication. :p

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