For some reason, wolves seem to be some of the most frequently appearing animals in literature. From Jack London's White Fang and The Call of the Wild to Jean Craighead George's Julie of the Wolves trilogy, wolves are recognizable and powerful characters in many novels. Kristen Chandler's debut novel continues this trend by combining an appealing coming of age story with a very real current issue related to wolves in the United States.
When Yellowstone National Park was first established in 1872 wolves--specifically Northern Rocky Mountain wolves, a subspecies of the gray wolf--were native to the area. More and more humans settled into the area and slowly killed off many of the wolves' original food sources (such as bison) while bringing with them a new potential food source: domesticated livestock. The ranchers and farmers responded simply and swiftly to any livestock killings by wolves: they eliminated the wolves. By the 1930s, there were no more wolves left in Yellowstone. In the late 1980s, a plan was developed to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone (as well as parts of Idaho and Montana). And the battle began as big game hunters, farmers, and ranchers all vehemently opposed the reintroduction of wolves while wildlife and environmental activists strongly supported the reintroduction. While a compromise was reached and the wolves were brought back into the area, neither side was satisfied and the issues remains a sensitive one today.
Growing up in a tiny ranching town on the edge of Yellowstone National Park, KJ Carson has perfected the art of minding her own business. She is a helpful and obedient daughter to her single father, working at his wildlife/fishing supply store and assisting him as a hunting and fishing guide. She is an unremarkable tomboy, living a generally invisible life at school. KJ is much more comfortable rowing on a lake or navigating through a forest than confronting other people. Then she decides to join up with Virgil Whitman, new kid in town, to create a column in the school newspaper about the town's very hot topic: wolves. As KJ learns more and more about the wolves, she becomes increasingly fascinated by and protective of them. But most of her neighbors and friends do not feel the same. Suddenly KJ finds herself in the center of an intense and dangerous debate and a confusing new relationship with Virgil. Now KJ must decide whether both the wolves and the boy that now mean so much to her are worth the very real risks of standing out from the crowd and standing up for an unpopular opinion.
I was initially drawn into this book by its catchy title but I stayed interested for the enjoyable way that Kristen Chandler combines great characters with overarching themes and specific current topics. KJ is a relatable and unique heroine; her father, Virgil, and Virgil's mother are all equally interesting and attractive characters. I really enjoy watching KJ's relationships with her father, Virgil, and the town as a whole develop and shift as she gains a larger understanding of the world. The wolves themselves are also compelling characters and I felt as invested in their future as I did in KJ's. Overall, Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me lives up to its fun title; it is a great story with humour, romance, action, and (of course) wolves.
To learn a little more about wolves in Yellowstone and the surrounding controversy check out the National Park Service webpage about the topic and a great article on the Yellowstone Insider website.
When Yellowstone National Park was first established in 1872 wolves--specifically Northern Rocky Mountain wolves, a subspecies of the gray wolf--were native to the area. More and more humans settled into the area and slowly killed off many of the wolves' original food sources (such as bison) while bringing with them a new potential food source: domesticated livestock. The ranchers and farmers responded simply and swiftly to any livestock killings by wolves: they eliminated the wolves. By the 1930s, there were no more wolves left in Yellowstone. In the late 1980s, a plan was developed to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone (as well as parts of Idaho and Montana). And the battle began as big game hunters, farmers, and ranchers all vehemently opposed the reintroduction of wolves while wildlife and environmental activists strongly supported the reintroduction. While a compromise was reached and the wolves were brought back into the area, neither side was satisfied and the issues remains a sensitive one today.
Growing up in a tiny ranching town on the edge of Yellowstone National Park, KJ Carson has perfected the art of minding her own business. She is a helpful and obedient daughter to her single father, working at his wildlife/fishing supply store and assisting him as a hunting and fishing guide. She is an unremarkable tomboy, living a generally invisible life at school. KJ is much more comfortable rowing on a lake or navigating through a forest than confronting other people. Then she decides to join up with Virgil Whitman, new kid in town, to create a column in the school newspaper about the town's very hot topic: wolves. As KJ learns more and more about the wolves, she becomes increasingly fascinated by and protective of them. But most of her neighbors and friends do not feel the same. Suddenly KJ finds herself in the center of an intense and dangerous debate and a confusing new relationship with Virgil. Now KJ must decide whether both the wolves and the boy that now mean so much to her are worth the very real risks of standing out from the crowd and standing up for an unpopular opinion.
I was initially drawn into this book by its catchy title but I stayed interested for the enjoyable way that Kristen Chandler combines great characters with overarching themes and specific current topics. KJ is a relatable and unique heroine; her father, Virgil, and Virgil's mother are all equally interesting and attractive characters. I really enjoy watching KJ's relationships with her father, Virgil, and the town as a whole develop and shift as she gains a larger understanding of the world. The wolves themselves are also compelling characters and I felt as invested in their future as I did in KJ's. Overall, Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me lives up to its fun title; it is a great story with humour, romance, action, and (of course) wolves.
To learn a little more about wolves in Yellowstone and the surrounding controversy check out the National Park Service webpage about the topic and a great article on the Yellowstone Insider website.
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