★ 10/24/2016
Caught in a blizzard on her way home from school, a girl in a red parka discovers a wolf pup left behind by its pack. Cordell’s story is wordless, but there’s a soundtrack: the cub whines, and distant howls reveal the pack’s presence over the next hill. The snow is deep, and the girl is tired, but she puts the pup first, scooping it up and heading toward the howls, undaunted by frightening encounters along the way. Cordell (Leaps and Bounce) uses his customary light and loopy scrawl for the girl, but the bristling fur and open mouths of the wolves are startlingly real. The mother wolf comes to meet them: her golden eyes blaze, and she growls softly. But she’s grateful, and when the girl collapses going home, the pack shows its gratitude in an unexpected way. Cozy vignettes, framed in rough circles, help reassure readers that the story will end well, and so does a tender opening portrait of the family. The girl’s story is a hero’s journey, and Cordell tells it with skill and heart. Ages 2–6. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Jan.)
Winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal
A National Public Radio Best Book of 2017
A Horn Book Magazine Best Book of 2017
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2017
A Huffington Post Best Book of 2017
"Caught in a blizzard on her way home from school, a girl in a red parka discovers a wolf pup left behind by its pack. Cordell's story is wordless, but there's a soundtrack: the cub whines, and distant howls reveal the pack's presence over the next hill. ...Cozy vignettes, framed in rough circles, help reassure readers that the story will end well, and so does a tender opening portrait of the family. The girl's story is a hero's journey, and Cordell tells it with skill and heart."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This nearly wordless picture book is a tender, never precious story of kindness and cooperation. Expect this wintry tale to bring only warmth."—Booklist, starred review
" "Cordell’s landscapes do a wonderful job showing the vastness and desperation of the girl’s journey, his blended watercolors of the snow and trees adding eloquence to the experience. A heartwarming adventure about helping others, best shared one-on-one to pore over the engaging images."—School Library Journal, starred review
"A near-wordless story of kindness repaid.... What distinguishes this book are the many feelings that Cordell's pen-and-ink-with-watercolor illustrations capture so well—cold, fear, courage, exhaustion, relief—keeping readers hooked to the end. Deeply satisfying."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Cordell’s pen-and-ink illustrations balance detail and emotion...The setting is brought to life through changing sky colors, cold breaths, and extensive snowscapes in watercolors. The handlettered, inky text, wordless except for sound effects, supports the cinematic feel created through the use of varying perspectives and loosely demarcated panels. Suspenseful page-turns and aerial views on double-page spreads keep readers worrying about the protagonist until the very end, when the family is shown by the fireside with steamy mugs and pet dog—a cozy contrast to the fraught outdoor adventure."—Horn Book, starred review
"Beautifully paced....ultimately reassuring."—Wall Street Journal
"This winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal underscores the power of illustration to develop a sweetly suspenseful plot, full range of emotion and core belief in getting beyond 'me first.'"--San Francisco Chronicle
"In this beautiful wordless picture book, a child sets out for a walk and discovers a wolf pup separated from its pack. The journey that follows is difficult and shows the power of kindness and bravery. Reminiscent of William Steig's Brave Irene, Cordell's book is a perfect choice for the dark days of winter." —IndieBound
"Wisely retaining the natural tension and suspicions that exist between human and wolf, Cordell subverts the dynamic by allowing his characters to defy their instincts and find the strength within them to offer kindness under duress."—Huffington Post
★ 01/01/2017
K-Gr 2—In this mostly wordless picture book, a girl gets lost in a snowstorm while walking home from school. At the same time, a wolf pup gets separated from its pack. The girl discovers the pup and carries it through dangerous and icy terrain to reconnect with its pack, and the wolves assist the girl by howling to attract her searching family. Cordell's artistic approach is a little more free-form than in his past titles. It works well in depicting the twisting trees in the snowstorm but is more challenging to pull off with the characterization of the girl. Yet he succeeds. Only her eyes are visible in her large red triangular parka, with a scarf across her mouth and nose, as she trudges through the snow; there is so much emotion in her eyes that viewers know all that they need to know about this almost comically bundled, shapeless figure. Cordell's landscapes do a wonderful job showing the vastness and desperation of the girl's journey, his blended watercolors of the snow and trees adding eloquence to the experience. VERDICT A heartwarming adventure about helping others, best shared one-on-one to pore over the engaging images.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI
★ 2016-09-19
A near-wordless story of kindness repaid.As the book starts, readers see a dark-haired, light-skinned family starting their day. A girl in a red, hooded parka bids goodbye to her dog, and with snow beginning to come down, shes off to school. As it happens, a wolf pack is also on the move. On her way home the snow has intensified. In a dramatic two-page spread the wolf pack can be seen walking in the girls direction, clouds of steamy air coming out of mouths filled with pointy teeth. As the girl trudges on, head lowered to the falling snow, and the wolf pack also trudges on, a wolf cub is left behind. Eventually, the girl and the scared, lost cub meet. Hearing the wolf pack howling in the distance, the girl takes the cub and, facing many perils, reunites cub and pack. Now exhausted and unable to move on, she collapses in the snow. The grateful pack returns favor for favor, and as its members surround and protect the girl, they howl in a call to her family, who has been out looking for her. The last page shows the family warm and safe back home. What distinguishes this book are the many feelings that Cordells pen-and-inkwith-watercolor illustrations capture so wellcold, fear, courage, exhaustion, reliefkeeping readers hooked to the end. Deeply satisfying. (Picture book. 4-8)
