Title: The Wolf Cub
Author: Alison Bellringer
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
ISBN: 978-1035837021
Pages: 68
Genre: Children’s Animal Books
Reviewer: Christina Avina

Read Book Review

If there is one thing most people in the world can agree on, it is the need for people to feel to have some sort of community to be a part of. To have that sense of belonging, of safety and comfort as you are surrounded by other people who share a sense of love and acceptance for one another. Sometimes events happen in this life that make community difficult to find, while other times events occur which make two individuals who live on the fringe or the outside of a community come together, and suddenly find themselves immersed into the community they had individually skirted around.

Community is the bond that brings the characters of author Alison Bellringer’s The Wolf Cub together. The story follows Lewis, a young boy in a small village who spends his days in a clearing conversing with local woodland creatures. Alone and unable to attend school with other children, Lewis takes to talking with these creatures and finding a sense of calm among animals. One day, his world changes forever when fate brings him and a wolf cub together, and soon their lives become intertwined in ways they couldn’t imagine.

A rich, compelling and engaging children’s short story, this book expertly crafts a narrative that feels both steeped in realism yet fantastic all at once. The imagery of the woods and the small village this story takes place in is so vivid that it allows readers to feel instantly transported, and the dynamic between Lewis and the wolf cub is the heart of this story, as readers see the bond and the love that forms between the two instantly as Lewis empathizes with the creature and the circumstances that bring them together. The pacing is perfect too, giving far more detail than a typical children’s book without crossing that middle-grade level of reading.

For readers who enjoy children’s books, especially those which take on a fable or fairy tale like quality of storytelling while also being written in a short story format will absolutely fall in love with this book. The emotional pull of this narrative was immediate as well, with the tragedy that brings the wolf cub to Lewis instantly making readers tear up and the protective nature Lewis has for the wolf cub as they grow up together will instantly connect with pet parents and animal conservationists alike. A beautiful blend of projects like Charlotte’s Web and The Fox and the Hound, this book speaks to the need to protect and preserve the animal wildlife of our world, and also showcases why it is important not to judge anyone by their looks or reputation, but instead by the good deeds they perform and the way they treat others through strong and powerful themes.