“I want to howl,” says Little Wolf. “Teach me how to howl.” But Mother Wolf is occupied and Father must hunt. Owl can only teach him to hoot and Frog, only to croak. Dissatisfied, but determined, the pup continues his search for a vocal mentor. He eventually comes upon his silvery Grandfather Wolf, who gently licks the young wolf’s tears and guides him through the howling right of passage. “First you have to sit down and face the moon,” Grandfather intones. He steers his pupil, step-by-step: “Then you have to think of all the things you love.” Little Wolf is filled with warmth as he begins to feel the voice inside him. At last, his howl is so enormous it shakes the branches in the trees and beckons the rest of the pack to join along. The delicate watercolors, dusted with color, gracefully convey the abandon, joy and frustration of this pup’s quest. It is a tender, sometimes humorous journey that evokes the yearning of childhood while setting forth the virtues of the multi-generational family. (Picture book. 4-6)
